Crime

No Leads Yet: Pentagon Shooter Still a Mystery

WASHINGTON — Someone fired shots at the Pentagon early Tuesday in what security officials described as “a random event.”

No one was injured in the pre-dawn incident in which shots were fired into two windows at the sprawling Defense Department just across the Potomac River in suburban Virginia.

Steven Calvery, director of the civilian Pentagon Force Protection Agency, told reporters that a number of his officers reported hearing five to seven shots fired at about 4:55 a.m. EDT near the south parking lot of the Pentagon. The Pentagon building and the roads leading it were briefly shut down as officers did an initial sweep of the area.

An internal search of the iconic structure found fragments of two bullets still embedded in two windows – one on the third floor and one on the fourth. The bullets had shattered but did not penetrate the windows, Calvery said. The windows were part of offices that are being renovated and they were unoccupied at the time.

Calvery said he didn’t know what kind of weapon was used but that it was probably a high-velocity rifle. No suspects were arrested, he said.

“Right now we consider this a random event,” he said.

But he also said authorities were looking at whether the shooting was related to Monday’s discovery of bullet holes in windows at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. in Triangle, Va. The museum is associated with the Quantico Marine Base, some 30 miles south of the Pentagon.

A rifle is also believed to have been used in that shooting, which may have occurred during early morning hours.

Pentagon investigators worked with the FBI as well as Arlington, Va. police, who helped sweep of the area, and Virginia State Police, who closed part of nearby Interstate 395 to search for evidence.

A dozen officers at around 9 a.m. walked side-by-side in a line as they combed through a grassy area on the south side of the building.

Calvery said investigators were talking to some construction workers who also heard the shots. He said it was possible the shooter had stood on the roof of a nearby building.

A spokesperson for Prince William County Police, which is investigating the museum incident in Quantico, said his officers were working with the Pentagon force protection agency and were trying to determine if the two shootings were related.

A cleaning crew at the museum called police Monday when they noticed the bullet holes in a part of the building that faces Interstate 95.

Gwenn Adams, a spokeswoman for the museum, said it appeared to have been hit by at least 10 rounds – five that struck glass and five marks on metal panels. Not all the bullets penetrated the glass, she said.

The marks are high on the imposing 118,000 square-foot structure, Adams said. The museum did not receive any kind of threatening communication or messages before discovering the bullet scars, she said.

Police believe the shots were fired at the museum late Saturday or early Sunday, when no one was inside.

Investigators used a crane to inspect the damage Monday. Because of the height of the holes, police said they suspected the bullets were fired from a rifle. They were still working to determine the caliber of the bullets.

None of the museum’s artifacts – including a harrier jet hanging near the damaged windows – was hit.

In early March a gunman opened fire at a Pentagon security checkpoint, wounding two police officers. John Patrick Bedell, 36, of Hollister, Calif., was shot by police and died hours later.

State, federal and local agencies were cooperating in studying surveillance video and questioning witnesses in connection with Tuesday’s shooting.

Comments (46)

  • sWampy
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 2:58pm

    We are at war with Islam, and there are openly Islamic people working at the Pentagon? This is truly disturbing.

    Report Post »  
  • JohnDoe
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 2:33pm

    Our great country was founded by and for the citizens of the thirteen colonies. It was designed to insure that a central government was controlled and limited by representatives of those citizens. It was given a limited amount of power, with many checks and balances, to secure the rights and freedoms for its citizens. They were making sure that an American Government would and could not become as Britian had. England enacted laws and taxes on their American subjects, but without allowing the colonies a say in their government. Ignoring the will of the people of America, they bullied and took away what limited rights they had and tried to force them to comply. Sound familiar? Yes, we don’t have to look far across the Atlantic at a despotic leader, we have only to look at the Oval Office in Washington, D. C. and to those whom we had entrusted the liberties of the people and the country. Our representatives, Senate and the House, are there to represent the will of the people. Instead, they have consistently lied to their constituents, both during campaigns and when in office. They have consistently robbed the American people, not only of their money, but also by stealing their liberties, little by little. The incumbent office holders allow themselves to be above the law, they allow themselves to steal by back-room corrupt deals and the like. They ignore the very people who put them in office, they even resort to passing laws, under cover of darkness. They hide laws and corrupt deals in the midst of thousand of pages of laws. This has always been a trick of unethical lawyers. Their mindset is to bog down any opposition by inudating them with mountains of paperwork. Then, they laugh and call the people stupid and ignorant, or worse! No doubt, I could go on and on. Their lack of character, morals and ethics makes them unfit to be employed anywhere, let alone entrusted with the security, freedom, and economic growth of this great country. They have taken your freedom to worship, especially targeting Christianity. They have tried to rewrite the American history, to further their agendas, just like the Moslems continue to do with Israel.

    Soon after deciding what sort of Government America was to become, that very question was asked of Benjamin Franklin. In reply Franklin said, “A Republic….if we can keep it”. This is a question that should be upon the lips of all true American patriots. If we can’t or more correctly, if we won’t, then we don’t deserve it. The choice is up to us, the American people, and the answer should be and must be yes we will!

    You’re probably asking how do we insure that we will keep this nation a free Republic. Oh, we voted for only those who promised no more taxes, no more spending, etc., etc. Of course they all were proven to be liars again (or should I have said they were just not quite forthcoming or perhaps they were a little disingenuious?). Then we did the “best of the two evils” choice. This was no different than the “Magician’s Choice” trick! We now know that there is no difference between Republicans and the Democrats when it comes to which is telling the truth. Neither has the best interest of America at heart, probably not even in mind! Their goal is simply to acquire power, money, more power and more money while doing and saying anything to remain in office.

    So what is the answer? They don’t listen when the people, overwhelmingly, protest and tries to voice their opposition. So the American people need to get their UNDIVIDED attention. How? WE THE PEOPLE, must vote any and all incumbents out of office. It doesn’t matter if they are better than most. If they haven’t been part of the solution, then they are part of the problem. THEY MUST KNOW AND WE MUST LET THEM KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT WILL NO LONGER BE RUN BY ROUGUE LAWYERS AND OPPORTUNISTS, PROGRESSIVES (AKA SOCIALISTS), ETC. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN MODERN-DAY CARPETBAGGERS OR WANNA-BE DICTATORS. THEY MUST BE EDUCATED TO THE FACT THAT THEY WILL BE VOTED OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNTIL THEY LEARN THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO RUN THEIR OWN VERISON OF CRIME, INC.
    AND THOSE THAT ARE ELECTED TO OFFICE, BUT CONTINUE TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT WILL SOON LEARN THEY WILL HAVE ONLY ONE TERM IN OFFICE.

    We, the people, need to lobby our newly elected representatives to enact new laws to insure ALL our freedoms, our security, etc. Enact laws that ethical or criminal behavior of representatives will be prosecuted swiftly and severly, with no possibility of any pardon…not by a state Governor nor by a President! Enact laws or amendments to limit a President to one term only, ensuring that any damage to our country will not be as damaging as is obvious with this Government. Further limit the terms of our Representatives, both in the Senate and the House. Imperative to limit the term of all Supreme Court Justices to no more than an eight year term and make an amendment that the justices can no longer re-interpret the Constitution, but uphold the laws as it was written and intended by the original framers.

    So, the bottom line is this: unless the American people get the undivided attention of those in government…when you and your family members are homeless and hungry or at the very least jobless…remember, you have only yourselves to blame.

    THE ONLY WAY TO INSURE THAT YOUR FUTURE REPRESENTATIVES WILL LISTEN TO ITS CONSTITUENTS IS VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS!!! FROM THAT POINT ON, EACH REPRESENTATIVE MUST KNOW WE WILL VOTE THEM OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL WE HAVE RESPONSIBLE REPRESENTATIVES THAT UNDERSTAND THEY ARE THERE FOR THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

    Report Post »  
  • Will NV
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 1:20pm

    Maybe it was Osama bin Laden.
    He is staying at the Ritz Carlton in DC, some cave.

    Report Post »  
  • Guardog44
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 10:31am

    They must know it is a progressive shooter. NO one else can shoot at the Pentagon and it be called random.

    Report Post »  
  • MR_ANDERSON
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 7:16am

    I hate to be the one who points it out, but…”offices that are being renovated and they were unoccupied,” the same thing happened on 9/11. Is it just me or is the entire Pentagon empty and under renovation when attacks happen?

    This is just interesting that it would happen to parts under renovation, and I am in no way trying to devalue people who have lost their lives on 9/11, or what happened on 9/11.

    Report Post »  
    • jamesctheman
      Posted on October 20, 2010 at 10:20am

      Are you implying this might be a government conspiracy? I don’t want to be rude or take your comment out of context. That just seems to me this would be something I would hear from a 9/11 truther. 181 people died @ the Pentagon so not all the offices were being renovated. Whoever did this isn’t very smart. They would know the Pentagon has windows that are bulletproof so unless they were testing to see how high a velocity shell it would take to break those windows, it would be a complete waste of time & ammo. This person is a novice at best.

      Report Post » jamesctheman  
  • MichiganPatriot
    Posted on October 20, 2010 at 6:09am

    Amatures, a real gun would have blown the window out entirely….

    Thank God no one got hurt!

    Report Post » MichiganPatriot  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 11:28pm

    I‘m sure it’s Bush’s fault.

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • silentwatcher
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 10:38pm

    Maybe it‘s Bush’s fault….

    Report Post »  
  • bettycooper
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 9:09pm

    “Briefly” shut down routes is a lie. Traffic was stopped all morning.
    Too much presumption going on here. Anyone who cursorily knows the area around Pentagon and the Marine Corps Museum knows that there are multiple concealed vantage points. Especially at 5:00am

    Report Post »  
  • flyguync
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 8:54pm

    This fool was shooting at the Pentagon and no one returned fire? You can‘t tell me there isn’t someone in that building that is armed. I think they should post shooters on the roof with automatic weapons to respond to this type of thing. Random, my behind!

    Report Post »  
  • calebgs83
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 7:57pm

    another random leftist event?

    Report Post » calebgs83  
    • US Agent
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 9:35pm

      I agree, I dont think terrorists would waste time testing our def. Not when there is a possibility of getting caught and revealing information.

      This attack seems like it would come from the extreme left. More so just to harass our military

      Report Post » US Agent  
  • Tony Nagy
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:59pm

    This was a test for sure, but by whom? and for what reason?….. The CSI type guys can figure this out quite easily, when they dentify the calibre and trajectory. If this was a test, let’s hope the UAV pilots protecting the Pentagon passed the test…. call me crazy! or contact Google for the answer.

    Report Post » Col. HawK  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:35pm

    10 rounds? not even 2 rounds is a “random event”, it is a test run to see how much obama has eroded the post 9/11 security in place.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • LadyIzShy
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:56pm

    they are testing systems and watching what happens and how long it takes..

    Sadly I live in the area where the serial stabber was killing black men. I seen the pattern before the cops admited to it.. not to say they didnt have a clue but they failed to tell anyone.. police like to keep things secret just like the government

    Report Post » LadyIzShy  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:32pm

    Practice run maybe? They like to do those… :(

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
    • JDPickle
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:08pm

      Probably figuring out ranging and what type of weapons they might need, as well as what type of response can be expected. Seems like a research project to me.

      Report Post »  
  • neverending
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:25pm

    Just more of what has happened and is happening and going to continue to happen under this bastard in chief. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it is just more of his bunch of chicago thugs and on and on.

    Report Post »  
    • DagneyT
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:44pm

      Gosh, NE, tell us how you really feel. ;-)

      Report Post » DagneyT  
  • alleinerose
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:25pm

    A random event? Really! I think not….I honestly can believe if they will “miss connecting the dots” from USS Cole to 9/11…it can be missed again. Whether it is domestic or overseas does it matter?

    Report Post » alleinerose  
  • aesaac
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:15pm

    Bill Ayers did it.

    Report Post »  
  • DagneyT
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:15pm

    Leave it to this regime to down play this heinous act. After all, who in the regime give a rat’s rear end about our Pentagon?

    Report Post » DagneyT  
  • Hillbillybone
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:08pm

    Just another nutjob on the Gun Ban wagon, and if more incidents with guns happen, it makes it easier for the anti-gun zelots to get their way.

    Report Post »  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:19pm

      I’m a card carrying member of the NRA and every pro-gun person I know is responsible and respectful with thier guns. Often an anti-gun loon does something like this to make pro-gun people look crazy.Kind of like liberals voting as a Republican for the worst candidate so we don’t get good solid representation from a conservative.

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
  • cheezwhiz
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:59pm

    Someone fired shots at the Pentagon early Tuesday in what security officials described as “a random event.”
    ————————-
    A random event ? Is that a code for a meth-head Obama – bot going a little bezerk ?
    How do they know its a random event if they have not arrested a suspect yet ?

    Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • untameable-kate
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:12pm

      I think your’e right, just some anti war nut letting off a little steam in the most inapropriate manner possible. Question is why do so many anti war nuts have rifles?

      Report Post » Untameable-kate  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:21pm

      @Untameable-Kate

      Same reason we do, they have the right to bear arms, for now at least.

      Just be glad most of them cannot shoot worth a hoot.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:44pm

      Cheezwhiz -

      I totally agree that the use of the word “random” in connection with someone squeezing a trigger on a firearm is inappropriate. The shooter may hit “random” targets, but there is nothing random about squeezing that trigger.

      But based on the fact that both the Pentagon and the Marine Corp Museum have evidence of being hit, I don’t think that was random, either. I’m not doing a psychological profile here, but the word “random” doesn’t factor in ,either.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:56pm

      @ Taquoshi
      ———-
      Nidal Hasan’s rampage was called an isolated random incident too … as was the panty bomber and shooting of marines in AR and the pepto-rolex dry run..
      These people give me the creeps

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • neverending
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:58pm

      It’s always “just a random” act with these lowlife scum.

      Report Post »  
  • john seven eighteen
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:55pm

    Is there ANYONE here who doesn’t know who took those shots at the Pentagon? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who hates the American military. Narrows the search quite a bit, anyway!

    Report Post » john seven eighteen  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:05pm

      Where is the nearest mosque or islamic cultural center by the Pantagon ?

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:05pm

      It may narrow down the number of folks to look for, yet remember a few years back with the belt way snipers shooting all those people and creating utter chaos for weeks?

      At that time there were newsheads declaring it had to be a “professional, military trained sniper” when it turned out to be a nut case and his side kick who used a car for camo, and practiced with a hunting rifle til they could hit a target fairly accurately.

      This is not likely the work of a military pro; could be, yet I would not count on it.

      If it turns out to be one of the terrorists form overseas though, maybe there will be some marines about willing to demonstrate what real shooting means!!!

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mix art)

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • john seven eighteen
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:13pm

      @Snowleapord-

      No, I had a more domestic American military hater in mind. I’ll give you a hint: they probably loved seeing Whoopie and Joy “stick it to O’Reilly”, and they are not likely readers of the Blaze. That help?

      Report Post » john seven eighteen  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:15pm

      @ snowleopard3200
      Beltway sniper was a jihady, with an apprentice

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
    • snowleopard3200
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:20pm

      Got it.
      Thanks.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • 13thGenerationAmerican
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:16pm

      Hey cheese head, there is a Mosque inside the Pentagon, is that close enough for you, moron.

      Report Post » 13thGenerationAmerican  
    • DagneyT
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:23pm

      @Cheezwhiz, it’s in Arlington, VA

      Report Post » DagneyT  
    • cheezwhiz
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 7:14pm

      @ 13thGenerationAmerican
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 6:16pm
      Hey cheese head, there is a Mosque inside the Pentagon, is that close enough for you, moron.
      ———————-

      There is a room in the Pentagon set aside for their employees to pray.
      Muslims pray there as well as people of other religions.
      Next time you get your daily yapping points in your inbox from some Sore@$$ lackey, get out of the basement and walk for a few minutes in fresh air. Then go back in your dungeon and do some research of your own.

      Report Post » cheezwhiz  
  • snowleopard3200
    Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:54pm

    Thankfully there were no one actually injured or killed, yet here is a thought, is this just the warm up to test security around the sights for a larger event to come?

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • neverending
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:23pm

      That would be my bet.

      Report Post »  
    • LadyIzShy
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:51pm

      yep they are testing something

      Report Post » LadyIzShy  
    • Highland
      Posted on October 19, 2010 at 7:26pm

      A dry run, like the book-tossing incident?

      Report Post » Highland  
    • FIRED UP FREE MAN !
      Posted on October 20, 2010 at 9:30pm

      Mr. SOROS is an international criminal. Any government official taking money from this monster or those he supports should be brought up on treason charges. Anybody who takes money from this monster has sold his soul and our government to HELL ! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE LIGHT OF DAY! For only TRUTH and the light of day is what this country DESERVES. Democrats seemed to have been infected by this DEADLY parasite and his minions. This country will NOT rest until SOROS is in prison orange and handcuffs standing in front of a military tribunal in Guantomino Bay, Cuba

      If you have any complaints about Mr. SOROS here are the names and addresses, maybe you can send them a line.

      Tides Foundation Info:
      National Office
      Physical Address: 1014 Torney Ave. San Francisco, CA 94129-1755
      P.O. Box 29198*
      San Francisco, CA 94129-0198
      415-561-6400
      415-561-6401 Fax
      info(at)tides.org
      New York Office
      Tides New York
      55 Exchange Place, Suite 402
      New York, NY 10005-3304
      212-509-1049
      212-509-1059 Fax
      nyinfo(at)tides.org
      Center for American Progress Information:
      1333 H Street Northwest
      Washington D.C., District of Columbia 20005
      Phone: 202-682-1611
      Fax: 202-682-1867

      Mailing Address
      Democracy Alliance
      P.O. Box 18607
      Washington, DC 20036
      Media Matters Information:
      455 Massachusetts Ave. NW
      Suite 600
      Washington, DC 20001
      (202) 756-4100

      ..

      Report Post » FIRED UP FREE MAN !  

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