13 killed and others wounded at Washington Navy Yard Massacre

By: Jose G. Landa
Copyright 2013

America is once again under siege by a mass shooting committed by a gunman who went on a rampage at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. at approximately 8:20 A.M. (E.S.T.) on Monday, September 16, 2013, killing at least 12 persons and wounding others as well as the suspect himself was killed as the 13th person in the tragedy and who was identified as 34 year old Aaron Alexis, a federal military contractor from Texas.

More than 3,000 persons work at the Washington Navy Yard and were surprised at the sound of gunfire inside the building early September 16th morning and began to run for cover and outside the building seeking to escape from the gunman who began opening fire for no apparent reason.

All federal and military facilities in Washington D.C. and throughout the United States were placed on high alert in the event of other mass shootings and to prevent similar rampages across America from happening.

Americans are shocked and dismayed that such a mass shooting could have occurred in a federal military base but most importantly in the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. America must remain vigilant at all times from these type of attacks and others.

The Washington Navy Yard is the United States’ Naval Sea Systems Command. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Washington Metropolitan Police, and military police responded to the surprise attack and to protect human life. One Metropolitan Police Officer was wounded by the gunman.

Washington D.C. public schools near the Washington Navy Yard were closed as well as the Reagan National Airport.

It is unknown what were the motives or reasons which may have caused Aaron Alexis to carry out this mass shooting in the nation’s capital. The mass shooting is under investigation by the FBI and other law enforcement authorities.