Dayna BlackwellNewswriterHeadline News
Photos: Roshan Ghimire/DC Spotlight Newspaper
UPDATE September 17, 2013
While the motive of his heinous crime, which left at least twelve people dead is still unclear, it is confirmed that 34-year-old Aaron Alexis had been receiving treatment since August by Veterans Affairs for paranoia, a sleep disorder and voices in his head. Despite this his security clearance remained in place and Alexis gained access to the facility using a valid personnel pass Monday morning where he opened fire.
WASHINGTON, DC — Police SWAT teams were dispatched to the scene as tragedy struck the nation’s capital Monday. At least 12 people were pronounced dead following the horrific attack which took place at the Washington Navy Yard around 8:20 a.m.
Though many details such as motive and the number of gunman involved remained unclear early on Monday, police have identified one shooter as 34-year-old military contractor Aaron Alexis. Texas native Alexis was identified by the FBI through fingerprints and ID. Alexis was an enlisted petty officer in the Navy who was discharged due to a “pattern of misconduct”. Friend of Alexis, Michael Ritrovato, reported that 
Alexis had been disgruntled about a payment issue with the civilian contractor.
President Barack Obama deemed the event a “cowardly act”. “We still don’t know all the facts. But we do know that several people have been shot and some have been killed. So we are confronting yet another mass shooting. And today it happened on a military installation in our nation’s capital,” says Obama.
Along with the fatalities, at least 12 others were injured in the attack. One witness, Todd Brundidge, described the scene as “just crazy”. “As we came outside, people were climbing the wall trying to get over the wall to get out…They were pushing. They were shoving. People were falling down,” Brundidge says.
D.C. mayor Vincent Gray spoke at an early press conference stating, “We’ll continue to seek information about what the motive is. We don’t have any reason at this stage to suspect terrorism, but certainly it has not been ruled out.”
A D.C. police officer and two others were taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center. They were admitted for surgery and are expected to survive. Further information on the other victims is pending.
Security was heavily tightened at schools and government buildings across the D.C. area, including the Pentagon and eight public schools that performed a lockdown following the attack.
D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) spoke to workers gathered for a brief press conference stating that the Navy Yard is a “very secure facility…the Navy has managed to keep it secure while it has been open to the public.”
As updates and information continue to flood in, the Washington FBI Field Office is requesting any and all information be submitted from the public that could lead to clues on Alexis and his background. Although one shooter has been identified, speculation suggests that a second gunman may be at large.
The assistant director of the office Valerie Parlave says, “No piece of information is too small.”
