As the chaotic scene unfolded at the U.S. Navy Yard in Washington D.C., authorities scrambled to identify the lone gunman, details about his life, and his motive for killing 12 people.
Though the investigation is active, some details about Aaron Alexis have been discovered. We told you yesterday that he once was charged with discharging a firearm in 2010. And in 2004, he shot out another man’s tires in what he described as an “angry-fueled” blackout.
But as the night wore on, friends, family and coworkers came forth to paint a picture of the now deceased gunman that is both confusing and alarming.
Turns out the 34-year-old, who has been confirmed as a contractor working for a group under the purview of Hewlett Packard, gained legitimate access to the government facility yesterday.
FBI assistant DC director in charge Valerie Parlave said he was able to access Building 179 legitimately using the ID card he was given for his role as an approved tech contractor.
“He did have a secret clearance. And he did have a CAC (common access card),” said Thomas Hoshko, CEO of subcontracting group The Experts Inc who employed Alexis.
Asked when Alexis was supposed to start work, Hoshko told Reuters that it was unclear when Alexis was supposed to start his latest stint in the government facility: “That’s what I got to find out, if he was supposed to start today … It’s not clear to me.”
But Alexis’ mental health is also being questioned, leading authorities to wonder how a man with a criminal record and a mental health problem could be hired for a job that would allow him access to the government facility.
Sources confirm that Alexis sought help for his psychological issues in the past. He began hearing voices in his head and told the Navy (he served between 2007-2011) that he wanted to be evaluated for schizophrenia. But that tidbit of information was overlooked when he purchased the guns he used in his rampage yesterday as well.
When he was killed, Alexis had three guns on him: an AR-15 assault style rifle, a shotgun and a handgun. He is believed to have purchased the shotgun last week in northern Virginia.
Friends of the man, who lived in Fort Worth, Texas before his move to D.C., are confused about the gun-wielding suspect that the police are revealing. According to many people who knew Alexis, he was a giving, docile, practicing Buddhist.
To Kristi Suthamtewakul, Aaron Alexis was a gentle young man who taught himself to speak Thai for his waiter’s job and chanted Thai prayers at a Buddhist temple. Alexis wore a golden amulet of Buddha around his neck, she recalled, yet also carried a concealed .45-caliber handgun.
Suthamtewakul went on to describe Alexis.
“There was nothing sinister about him,” said Suthamtewakul, 35, who helps run her family’s Thai restaurant outside Fort Worth where Alexis worked as a waiter and deliveryman.
The suspect’s family, distraught about his death, also spoke out about his behavior when reporters arrived at the Brooklyn brownstone where they live.
Earlier in the day, Anthony Little, the brother-in-law of the suspect, emerged from the house and told NBC4 the family was “distraught.” He said: “It’s a shocking experience. Nobody expected this. No-one saw it coming. No-one knew anything. So all of this is just shocking.”
We’ll keep you updated on the latest developments in this case.
SOURCE: LA Times | Daily Mail | The Guardian
