DC - Twelve killed, 8 injured in shooting at Washington Navy Yard, 16 Sept 2013

[Elley Mae]

The former Navy reservist identified by authorities as the gunman in the massacre at the Washington Navy Yard was cited at least eight times during his Navy career for misconduct, officials said Tuesday, including insubordination, disorderly conduct and multiple excessive absences from work.

Alexis, of Fort Worth, had been hired by a private contractor to do a project at the Navy Yard and had a security clearance and a valid military identification card, known as a common access card, that allows unfettered access into most facilities.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...f80-11e3-94a2-6c66b668ea55_story.html?hpid=z2

Police said Alexis also had an assault rifle inside the building, but it was unclear whether he had brought it with him.

 

[Softail]

Background issues concerning mental health about says it all for me.
Prayers to the victims, their family and friends.

Right! This leaves more questions than answers!

1. With his background, how was he able to purchase a gun? :waitasec:

2. With his background how was he able to get clearance to enter the base? :waitasec: I really want an investigative journalist to find out whose responsibility it was to clear him (I know )!!! I still think it was up to the FBI!

3. How was he able to walk onto the base with a shotgun? :waitasec:

So many questions.

Yesterday had soooo many conflicting news reports. One was that he had specific targets. Then late last night, there was a report that yesterday was his 1st day of work. If so, then he could not have had specific targets other than the "IT" department on the 4th floor.

 

[Elley Mae]

I used to work for a large company that did contract work for the gov. At that time security was tight and it was normal to have to allow security to look though your purse/briefcase, it was a part of the job. Security clearances were hard to come by and outside contractors were not allowed unsupervised access, period. Seems that some are too lax in admittance to areas that should have been guarded. IIRC reading that he was shooting on the FOURTH floor down to the cafeteria.

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/09/washington-navy-yard-shooting-injures-several-people-94074.html

Rick Mason, a program management analyst who is a civilian with the U.S. Navy, said a gunman was shooting from a fourth floor overlook in the hallway outside his office.

He said the gunman was aiming down at people in the building's cafeteria on the first floor. Mason said he could hear the shots but could not see a gunman.

Weird that Rick would know that without seeing it. idk jmo

 

[STANDREID]

How was he able to walk onto the base with a shotgun? :waitasec:

I wondered that the first time I heard about the shotgun. He could have concealed it under a trench coat I suppose but wouldn't a guy wearing trench coat to work on a summer day raise some suspicion?

 

[Softail]

I wondered that the first time I heard about the shotgun. He could have concealed it under a trench coat I suppose but wouldn't a guy wearing trench coat to work on a summer day raise some suspicion?

One would think so. I haven't heard anything about him wearing a trench coat. Even if he was wearing one, you are right, that should have raised suspicion. Hopefully in the coming days there will be security videos coming out. We do know there are videos. They were scouring them yesterday.

 

[21merc7]

There is a third "gun mishap" listed. Dear me!

Suthamtewakul said Alexis “had a gun at all times” and fired a bullet through the wall of his room in the summer of 2012. “You’re gonna kill me,” the restaurateur told his friend. Alexis apologized and said it was an accident.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...31ce-1f07-11e3-8459-657e0c72fec8_story_1.html

I'm still reading all of these multi-page articles. It seems there were also co-workers or people that knew him that thought he was aggressive and would one day kill himself. Wow. This guy really needed some help.

To add to how do you get a shotgun on a Navy base, how to you purchase one if you have been in therapy for PTSD and hearing voices? Does that not show up when you apply?

 

[Softail]

There is a third "gun mishap" listed. Dear me!



http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...31ce-1f07-11e3-8459-657e0c72fec8_story_1.html

I'm still reading all of these multi-page articles. It seems there were also co-workers or people that knew him that thought he was aggressive and would one day kill himself. Wow. This guy really needed some help.

To add to how do you get a shotgun on a Navy base, how to you purchase one if you have been in therapy for PTSD and hearing voices? Does that not show up when you apply?

And he had been ARRESTED! :maddening: As I said above I had a co-worker whose family member had an arrest, and was not allowed access to NASA! There is definitely some explaining to do!!!

 

[21merc7]

This is the kind of shotgun MSM says he used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15

 

[LaborDayRN]

3. How was he able to walk onto the base with a shotgun? :waitasec:

I'm guessing that he didn't walk onto the base. Most large bases have gates that you drive though. I wonder if the guards knew him. He may have had the weapons hidden in his vehicle, drove up to the building he had targeted, got out of the vehicle with the weapons and walked into said building. Just a guess on my part of course.

 

[Softail]

I'm guessing that he didn't walk onto the base. Most large bases have gates that you drive though. I wonder if the guards knew him. He may have had the weapons hidden in his vehicle, drove up to the building he had targeted, got out of the vehicle with the weapons and walked into said building. Just a guess on my part of course.

NO! They could not have know him. It was reported that yesterday was his first day of work there!

 

[Elley Mae]

Gunman Had Trouble in Navy, but Was Given Honorable Discharge

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/us/washington-navy-yard-shootings.html?hp&_r=0

Mr. Alexis had also been arrested at least twice during the past decade by civilian authorities for weapons violations, and a family member, according to a 2004 Seattle police report, said he had “anger management problems.”

Pentagon officials confirmed that the Defense Department Inspector General’s office had been conducting an audit of access procedures and safety at the Navy Yard. The audit, first reported by Time Magazine, is due to be released in the next several weeks.

Three weapons were found on Mr. Alexis: an AR-15 assault rifle, a shotgun and a semiautomatic pistol, a senior law enforcement officer said. It was unclear whether he had brought all the guns with him, another law enforcement official said, or if he had taken one or more of them from his victims.

I have no doubt in my mind that the ar15 and glock pistol have been ID'ed at this time. If the two weapons belonged to an officer/security detail at the navy yard then they know if the weapons where the officer's/security detail. I will put my money on the two weapons belonging to the officer/security personal. jmo idk

 

[Softail]

But Alexis, 34, had no trouble landing a civilian job. He moved from Fort Worth to Washington about a month ago, friends said, and was hired as an hourly tech employee for The Experts, a Hewlett-Packard subcontractor that is updating computer systems at Navy and Marine Corps installations worldwide. He was scheduled to begin work at the Washington Navy Yard this month.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...f431ce-1f07-11e3-8459-657e0c72fec8_story.html

 

[scorekeeper]

So if it was his first day of work.......this was planned

so he set a goal to become a contract worker and then go out in a bang of glory????

 

[popsicle]

On the news at 11 they just said they believe he shot his way into bldg 197. His ID allowed him into the Navy Yard, you drive in and park so I imagine his weapon was in his car that was towed. His ID did not allow him access to bldg 197 though. (nbc) Also, he started tx with the VA in August, for his mental issues.

 

[Elley Mae]

When it was over, the suspected gunman lay dead amid an armload of weapons. Sources told News4 that surveillance footage showed that he began his attack with a shotgun, but was found with a 9mm pistol and an AR-15 assault rifle.

NBC News correspondent Pete Williams is reporting Alexis purchased a shotgun in Lorton, Va. during the past week or so.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...r-at-Navy-Yard-One-Person-Shot-223897891.html

Milton reports that the shotgun was traced to a gun store in Lorton, Va., according to a federal law enforcement official. The official said the shotgun was purchased at the store within the last week.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162...s-motive-in-navy-yard-shooting-still-unclear/

bbm,

 

[Softail]

Washington Navy Yard Shooting Victims List: Lives Lost In Mass Killing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...tims_n_3940206.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

 

[Softail]

So if it was his first day of work.......this was planned

so he set a goal to become a contract worker and then go out in a bang of glory????

I've seen conflicting reports that either yesterday was his first day or last week. Either way, I believe he totally planned it! :twocents:

 

[21merc7]

More conflicting info: {BBM}

Initial reports said Alexis used an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle during the attack, but by Tuesday, law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation said that was not the case.

It is believed that Alexis had rented an AR-15, but returned it before Monday's shooting, the officials said. Investigators have recovered three weapons from the scene, including a shotgun that Alexis is believed to have brought into the compound. The other two weapons -- handguns -- the sources say, may have been taken from guards.

While the FBI was urging anyone with information about Alexis to come forward, investigators were focusing on reported incidents, including police run-ins, that portray a man with increasingly violent tendencies.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/us/navy-yard-suspects/index.html

 

[Softail]

Foxnews is talking with a former Homeland Security person. It sounds like post 9/11 Homeland security is involved in doing the checks. He won't clarify and say whose responsibility it is. Just that background checks are done for contractors.

I'd be willing to bet the FBI and or Homeland Security failed big time in this case. :twocents:

 

[neesaki]

Last night I was watching bits of the news. Particularly about him being a contractor. I heard heavy criticism of HP for hiring him. I don't think the blame is on HP. I think the questions should be of the FBI.

Back in 2001 PRE 9/11, my company was hired as contractors (similar to HP) at the Johnson Space Center (NASA). All of us had to get FBI security clearance. Not checked by my company or the Space Center - THE FBI conducted the checks. We had one guy who could not get clearance because a family member had a misdemeanor pot arrest, and he was not allowed on base. NASA is considered a military base of sorts. Again this was pre 9/11.

I would think security checks on a military base are similar today, if not more thorough since 9/11. Not up to the Navy or HP to do. Someone screwed up. I'm thinking the FBI has some explaining to do. Just googling his name yesterday showed his prior arrests. :twocents:

It's an outrage, the numerous and blatant, "in your face" screw ups in this tragedy. So call me a conspiracy theorist, but this reeks of being politically motivated, imo.