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3 Marines Killed in U.S. Military Base Shooting

Mar. 22, 2013 6:45am Billy Hallowell

QUANTICO, Va. (AP) — A Marine killed a male and female colleague in a shooting at a base in northern Virginia before killing himself, officials said early Friday.

Authorities were called to the scene at Marine Corps Base Quantico around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, where they found one Marine dead at a barracks, base commander Col. David W. Maxwell told reporters.

Authorities later found a second victim dead, along with the body of the suspected gunman, who died of self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A base spokesman initially described the situation as a standoff. Maxwell said later in the morning that there was no standoff. Base spokesman Lt. Agustin Solivan later clarified that after the first shooting, police had the shooter “isolated” in a barracks dorm room at the base’s Officer Candidates School.

3 Active Duty Marines Killed in U.S. Military Base Shooting

The Marine Base Quantico, spokesman Lt. Agustin Solivan briefs reporters following a shooting incident on the base Friday March 22, 2013. Three people, including the suspect, were killed in the shooting at Marine Base Quantico, Solivan said early Friday. He said they believe the suspect, whose name wasn’t released, is a staff member at the officer candidate school at the base. No information on the victim was immediately released. Credit: AP

No names were immediately released but officials said all three were staff members at the school.

Solivan said the shooting was isolated to the school and authorities were confident there were no other casualties. The base was put on lockdown after the shooting but the lockdown was lifted early Friday. During the lockdown, residents were warned over a loudspeaker to stay inside.

The shooting is the second tragedy the Marine Corps has faced this week. Seven members of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force were killed Monday when a mortar shell exploded in its firing tube during an exercise at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. Eight others were injured.

In a statement, Pentagon press secretary George Little said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was saddened to learn of the shooting.

“This tragedy, as well as the tragedy in Nevada earlier this week, took the lives of Marines who volunteered to serve their nation,” Little said. “His heart and his prayers are with them and their families.”

The Quantico base, which is about 37 miles south of Washington, is also home to the FBI’s training academy. Its Officer Candidates School is the equivalent of basic training for Marines interested in becoming officers.

According to a Marine Corps website, the mission of Officer Candidates School is to train, screen and evaluate candidates. The training includes both academics and physical training such as endurance hikes and obstacles courses. Candidates are evaluated on leadership potential as well as moral, physical and academic strengths. Candidates must also demonstrate a grasp of battlefield-tested leadership traits, the website says.

Marines become second lieutenants on graduation from the school’s 10-week program.

In 2010, the Quantico base was one of several targets of an ex-Marine reservist who, during five nighttime shootings, fired on military targets including the Pentagon. Yonathan Melaku, on two separate occasions, fired at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico. No one was injured and Melaku was ultimately sentenced to 25 years in prison.

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Comments (55)

Newtowns-Third-Law
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:09pm
In 2013, on average; one United States Service Member or Honorably Discharged Veteran will commit suicide every 66 minutes.

Forbes, Feb 5, 2013 – Veterans now commit suicide at the rate of 22 a day, or almost one an hour. A new report by the Department of Veterans Affairs reveals…

http://www.afsp.org/files/Misc_/Public_Policy/Issue_Briefs/Mil_Vet_SP_2012_w_bill_info.pdf

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- paxcat
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:57pm
  I believe your comment would have fit better in its own story as the fact that the perp in this case took his own life is not in any way comparable to what you are talking about and which is a serious concern!
  
  Report this comment
freedom_baby
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:48pm
I live here, my husband works in OCS.
Nothing but a cheating girlfriend and jealousy.
How many people were shot out of jealousy in the civilian world?
Just stupid love crazed teen, who can’t cope.

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- remek
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 3:22pm
  Any word on the ages of the males? My son’s father is high ranking enlisted over 50 and works there. If he’s one of them, I’d like to know before someone knocks on my door…
  
  Report this comment
- captjack63
  Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:38pm
  You are the first one I have heard say it was about two men and a girl. I have been looking for some official or un-official statement of what the shootings were all about. I believe it was about the “The Old Green Eyed Monster” myself but have not seen that in any printed story.NOT EVEN ON THE BLAZE. SEMPER FI.
  
  Report this comment
freeberty
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:14pm
This is what happens when the military becomes nothing but a welfare jobs program.

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Krutch
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:04pm
Think we’ll ever hear the truth about this? Not if a muslim is involved. If a muslim was on the team when the mortor blew up, we’ll not hear of that either.

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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:37pm
  Yes, yes, and this is the work of Obama operatives to weaken the military.
  
  Report this comment
- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:15pm
  No VanceUppercut, invasions of crazed Muslims are not that uncommon.
  Remember Hassan at Fort Hood ? Now, check names in Obama’s cabinet, czars etc.
  Incidents of hostile indoctrination are being swept under the carpet.
  Fort Hood is called a “workplace incident”
  Any connection in your foggy brain Sherlock ?
  
  Report this comment
- captjack63
  Posted on March 23, 2013 at 2:32pm
  I think you are right on with that train of thought,
  
  Report this comment
repairsea
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:02pm
Their poor families. Sad news.

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- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:47pm
  I feel really bad for the relatives, as well as, the Base Commander.
  The relatives must be totally in a state of shock,sadness,and denial
  hoping this turns out to be untrue.
  The Base Commander gets a double whammy. Guilt, because it happened
  under his command, and embarrassment in facing questions from superiors
  what he could have done to prevent the stigma it casts on the Marines.
  
  Report this comment
Apple Bite
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:54am
This has the markings of a cheating lover. The self-inflicted wound is possibly to avoid being thrown in Leavenworth….

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AUsername
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:51am
Goverment your employees have been involved in mass shootings, time to take away their guns and give them batons like in Norway lol.

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Daniel
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:50am
I’m sure that ol’ Harry Reid will be on the Senate floor this afternoon whining the three dead are all because of the sequester. Then want to blame the republicans for the sequester that was actually the democrats idea. Hey Harry then all the dead Marines are Y-O-U-R fault!!!!!

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justiceday
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:47am
The Marines have no one to blame but themselves. They enlist 14,000 men a year on drug waivers. When they are told of unstable behavior they ignore it. They need to be held accountable for what is going on in their organization. They ignore rapes, suicidal tendencies and unstable behavior.
This site says it all and look at what this marine posted with them doing nothing. Even a kid in grade school would have been in trouble.
They use PTSD for every excuse but the commands aren’t doing their job and ignore the UCMJ.
Time for the government to reign them in.

http://www.theusmarinesrape.com/FaceBook.html

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- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:20pm
  Here goes another idiot longing for more government intervention.
  I think Marines are perfectly capable of reigning this in.
  
  Report this comment
- 9KRPMS2K
  Posted on March 23, 2013 at 5:32am
  If only you knew how many sexual assault classes we get due to the 10% you wouldn’t be acting like you know so much. Just shush up, Marines are dead, the Marines fight for your country.
  
  Report this comment
Frederick_Douglass_Republican
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:33am
Oh yes we need vaginas in the Marines. This is satans army now

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- ArmedPatriot
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 3:13pm
  Exactly
  
  Report this comment
Sargeking
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:33am
Sounds like somebody watched “Full Metal Jacket” after they got caught in the barracks with a jelly donut!

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BigdaddyK
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:26am
How’s ’bout we wait until the facts come out before we start pontificating?
Yeah, I know. Pretty silly idea, huh?

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SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:39am
.
Love Triangle?……

We may have to Ban Marines…..

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:02am
  You are likely right with that first assessment. One female and one male Marine murdered, then the killer committed suicide.
  
  Report this comment
- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:24pm
  We may have to ban geometry from their training !
  
  Report this comment
Mil-Dot
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:06am
“No names were immediately released”
Ok, so we know that it had to be a muslim or another minority. If it was a snowman named “Albert Smith” or “Timothy McJones” school kids in Istanbul would know about it by now.

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- Gatekeeper
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:37am
  You win The Blaze stupid comment award for lack of critical thinking.
  
  Families need to be notified first before names can be released.
  
  Report this comment
kickagrandma
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:06am
Anyone else feel like we are being set up?

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- kenboo1
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:37am
  We need strong leadership this is the stuff that happens when leadership is weak… Lets fix the Senate at http://www.repeal17.net then we can work our way up the ladder…
  
  Report this comment
jackact
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:58am
Paging Major Hassan…..
Silence.

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- johnpaulkuchtajr
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:17am
  Call me silly; but, this one has the makings of “She done him wrong.”
  
  Life lesson: Never fool around with another man’s wife, especially when the other man breaks things and kills people for a living!
  
  “Remember Benghazi and ALL the Traitors!”
  
  Report this comment
- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:34pm
  He doesn’t respond to paging any more. While in jail he received a promotion
  to higher rank and a service medal. Are there plans to reactivate the bastard ?
  
  Report this comment
blkbelt7
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:41am
Will the obozo admin. call this another “WORK PLACE VIOLENCE” problem like the other TERRORIST ATTACH AT FT. HOOD….????

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- johnpaulkuchtajr
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:25am
  See above……
  
  Report this comment
- Emudude
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:33am
  Well, if he is a Muslim, it will be workplace violence. If he is a democrat, the story will just die out. If he is Conservative, he was a terrorist.
  
  Report this comment
- mpoconnor7
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 5:29pm
  When I first heard this story, I thought “Workplace Violence.” I also thought that if we just disarmed all of our soldiers, this tragedy would not have happened. It’s worth getting rid of all the guns in America if we can save just one life…NOT!
  
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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:36am
Terrible news, especially after the blast in Nevada. God bless them and be with them!

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thewhiteright
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:31am
ANOTHER DEMOCRAT SHOOTER to add to the list no doubt

Marine Base Quantico Shooter, Democrat & obama voter

LAPD Manifesto Killer- Democrat, praises obama and gun control.

Connecticut Elementary School Shooter- Democrat, in his mothers
words an obama-loving democrat

Ft Hood – Registered Democrat and Muslim

Wisconsin Sikh Temple Shooter – Registered Democrat

Columbine – both families were registered Democrats and progressive liberals

Virginia Tech – Registered Democrat, Wrote hate mail to President Bush and to his staff –

Colorado Theater -Registered Democrat; staff worker on the Obama campaign; Occupy Wall Street participant; progressive liberal

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- Kisses6350
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:31am
  Dear God! Just hush! Marune are DEAD! Have you no respect or potty training? Everything is not meant to be political! Sheesh! Give it a rest, and say a prayer or whatever for the deceased!
  
  Report this comment
- IOWAGIR
  Posted on March 23, 2013 at 7:49am
  My prayers to the families and friends. But it is true that the latest publicized shootings have a democratic common denominator.
  
  Report this comment
biohazard23
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:28am
God bless. RIP. Heaven help us…

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:09am
  Morning BIOHAZARD, It is another sad day. I pray for the fallen and their families.
  
  Report this comment
PlanetReality
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:17am
Very sad, very tragic more proof guns r not to blame we need to look deeply at our troubled society!!!??
R they gonna now ban assualt weapons on marines bases?????

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- SgtB
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:40am
  For all intents and purposes, they already have. As a Marine, and one that just so happened to serve at the Corps largest rifle qualification range (Wilcox Rifle Range, 150 target point front) for over a year, I can tell you that the Marine Corps policy is that no Marine under the rank of Staff Sergeant is allowed to transport himself to or from the armory to the qualification range. Furthermore, unless you are a grunt, you will not be issued your own weapon to qualify with, train with, and eventually go to war with. Oh, and you better not have so much as a hammer in your barracks room when field day inspections come around because in most barracks, you are not allowed to keep any kind of weapon. If you live in on base housing, you can then keep a weapon, but it must be registered with the base armory and kept locked up as your home can be entered and inspected at any time under the base commander’s orders.
  
  Report this comment
NoMoMrNiceGuy
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:08am
Pray for our Country folks. We are in real trouble.

From one warrior to another – may God Bless your soul – you may rest now.

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Supermartski
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:07am
Tragedy. Pray for their families.

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DZ-015
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:03am
More senseless gun violence. Now do we have to pass gun restriction laws against the military,too? I guess that will leave DHS as the only fully armed force on American soil.

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- ArmedAndReallyPissed
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:17am
  Don’t forget Obozo’s friends, the MoBroHo ( the Project ) that have infiltrated our Kountry and that are welcomed to the Jihad House ( formerly our White House ) on a regular basis. They will always be armed too.
  Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling all over, doesn’t it ?
  
  Report this comment
ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:02am
Unca Joe says : That’s it. We have had too much Gun violence in our Military Bases. We are going to have to take away all Weapons from the Military to protect them from themselves.

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- votsbh
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 11:59pm
  Uncle Joe would suggest issuing shotguns to the Matrines instead.
  
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