Gunman dead after killing 12 in US rampage
A GUNMAN who shot dead 12 before being killed himself at the US Navy Yard in Washington was last night named as Aaron Alexis, a former Navy reservist who was discharged for misconduct two years ago.
At least 15 more people were injured during the rampage yesterday, which took place little more than a mile from Capitol Hill. The shootings, which began around 8.30am, spread fear across the US capital and forced tightened security at the White House, an adjournment at the Senate and the closure of local schools.
FBI said Alexis, a 34-year-old from Texas, was heavily armed and was “shooting at police officers” when he was killed.
President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting and talked about it at the start of a speech on the US economy.
“We are confronting yet another mass shooting, and today it happened at another military installation, in our nation’s capital,” said Obama, who vowed to enact “sensible” gun control measures after another gun attack last year. “They know the dangers of serving abroad, but today they face the unimaginable violence that they wouldn’t have expected here at home,” he said.