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Pentagon shooter John Patrick Bedell - Source: ONE News -
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A California man who was fatally shot after opening fire on
security officers outside the Pentagon appears to have been acting
alone, with no links to domestic or international terrorism, police
said.
The gunman, identified by authorities as 36-year-old John Patrick
Bedell, was apparently trying to gain entry to the giant US Defense
Department headquarters when he approached a security checkpoint
and started shooting, police said.
He was shot in the head near the main entrance to the building in a
shootout with three security officers, two of whom received
"superficial" bullet wounds and were treated and released from a
local hospital, Pentagon police chief Richard Keevill told
reporters.
"There is no indication at this point that there (is) any domestic
or international terrorism nexus to this at all," Keevill said.
"... There doesn't appear to be anyone else acting in concert with
Mr. Bedell."
Keevill said authorities do not know Bedell's motives in the
shooting, which occurred at the Pentagon entrance near a busy
commuter rail station.
But Keevill said authorities are looking into a series of
internet postings by a user identified as JPatrickBedell for
clues.
These postings make reference to US marijuana laws and
marijuana-related felony charges in 2006 in California against John
Patrick Bedell.
They also refer to the September 11, 2001 attacks against the
United States and the case of a US Marine Corps colonel who died in
1991.
Keevill said authorities had not yet determined whether those
postings were made by the gunman.
People can approach that entrance to the Pentagon unimpeded from
the Metro station.
The shootout occurred at a security checkpoint.
"He was very well armed. I will tell you he had two 9 mm
semiautomatic weapons and many magazines," Keevill said.
He added that the man's car that he drove from California has been
located, and that it contained more ammunition. Keevill said there
is a surveillance video showing the suspect that "pretty much
confirms what we've been saying, that he acted alone."
Instead of presenting a Pentagon pass, which is required to enter
the building, the gunman pulled out a gun, Keevill said.
The underground Metro station is adjacent to the main entrance of
the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River
from Washington.
The Pentagon was one of the targets in the September 11 hijacked
plane attacks.
One of the planes smashed into the US military headquarters, killing 125 people, along with the plane's 59 passengers and crew and the five hijackers.
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