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By Nafeesa Syeedd
Associated Press
POSTED: 01:54 p.m. EDT, Jun 10, 2009
Updated at 5:34 p.m.
WASHINGTON: An elderly gunman, said by authorities to have a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past, stepped inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday, opened fire with a rifle and fatally wounded a security guard before being shot by other officers.
The assailant was hospitalized in critical condition, leaving behind a sprawling investigation by federal and local law enforcement and expressions of shock from the Israeli government and a prominent Muslim organization.
Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the gunman was ‘‘engaged by security guards immediately after entering the door’’ with a rifle. ‘‘The second he stepped into the building he began firing.’’
Law enforcement officials said James Von Brunn, 88, a white supremacist, was under investigation in the shooting, and a second official said the elderly man's car was found near the museum and tested for explosives. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the investigation just beginning.
Museum officials identified the dead guard as Stephen T. Johns, a six-year veteran of the facility. In an e-mail, director Sara Bloomfield said he ‘‘died heroically in the line of duty.’’
Von Brunn has a racist, anti-Semitic Web site and wrote a book titled Kill the Best Gentiles.
In 1983, he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board and served more than six years in prison. He was arrested two years earlier outside the room where the board was meeting, carrying a revolver, knife and sawed-off shotgun. At the time, police said Von Brunn wanted to take the members hostage because of high interest rates and the nation's economic difficulties.
Writings attributed to Von Brunn on the Internet say the Holocaust was a hoax and decry a Jewish conspiracy to ‘‘destroy the white gene pool.’’
‘‘At Auschwitz the ‘Holocaust’ myth became Reality, and Germany, cultural gem of the West, became a pariah among world nations,’’ it says.
The museum, which opened in 1993 and has drawn nearly 30 million visitors, houses exhibits and records relating to the Holocaust of more than a half century ago in which more than six million Jews died at the hands of Nazis. Its Web site says the museum ‘‘teaches millions of people each year about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide.’’
The museum was crowded with schoolchildren and other tourists at the time of the attack, but they all escaped injury in the outburst of violence.
Ashley Camp, 14, of Forsyth, Ill., on a field trip with more than 40 other students, said she heard two or three gunshots. Soon after, she recalled, a security guard ordered the group to run to the exit.
‘‘We had to sprint as fast as we could out the door,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought it was the movie (part of a museum exhibit), but then everyone started screaming and running.’’
The attack was the third in a recent wave of unsettling shootings that appeared to have political underpinnings.
A 23-year-old Army private, William Andrew Long, was shot and killed outside a recruiting office this month in Arkansas and a fellow soldier was wounded. The suspect, a Muslim convert, has said he considers the killing justified because of the U.S. military presence in the Middle East.
Late last month, abortion provider Dr. George Tiller was shot to death in his church.
At the White House a few blocks away from the museum, press secretary Robert Gibbs said he informed President Barack Obama of the events and the chief executive was ‘‘obviously saddened by what has happened.’’
Only last week, Obama visited the site of a German concentration camp at Buchenwald in Germany where he noted, ‘‘There are those who insist the Holocaust never happened.’’ He added, ‘‘This place is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts, a reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our history.’’
Updated at 5:34 p.m.
WASHINGTON: An elderly gunman, said by authorities to have a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past, stepped inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday, opened fire with a rifle and fatally wounded a security guard before being shot by other officers.
The assailant was hospitalized in critical condition, leaving behind a sprawling investigation by federal and local law enforcement and expressions of shock from the Israeli government and a prominent Muslim organization.
Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the gunman was ‘‘engaged by security guards immediately after entering the door’’ with a rifle. ‘‘The second he stepped into the building he began firing.’’
Law enforcement officials said James Von Brunn, 88, a white supremacist, was under investigation in the shooting, and a second official said the elderly man's car was found near the museum and tested for explosives. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss the investigation just beginning.
Museum officials identified the dead guard as Stephen T. Johns, a six-year veteran of the facility. In an e-mail, director Sara Bloomfield said he ‘‘died heroically in the line of duty.’’
Von Brunn has a racist, anti-Semitic Web site and wrote a book titled Kill the Best Gentiles.
In 1983, he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board and served more than six years in prison. He was arrested two years earlier outside the room where the board was meeting, carrying a revolver, knife and sawed-off shotgun. At the time, police said Von Brunn wanted to take the members hostage because of high interest rates and the nation's economic difficulties.
Writings attributed to Von Brunn on the Internet say the Holocaust was a hoax and decry a Jewish conspiracy to ‘‘destroy the white gene pool.’’
‘‘At Auschwitz the ‘Holocaust’ myth became Reality, and Germany, cultural gem of the West, became a pariah among world nations,’’ it says.
The museum, which opened in 1993 and has drawn nearly 30 million visitors, houses exhibits and records relating to the Holocaust of more than a half century ago in which more than six million Jews died at the hands of Nazis. Its Web site says the museum ‘‘teaches millions of people each year about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide.’’
The museum was crowded with schoolchildren and other tourists at the time of the attack, but they all escaped injury in the outburst of violence.
Ashley Camp, 14, of Forsyth, Ill., on a field trip with more than 40 other students, said she heard two or three gunshots. Soon after, she recalled, a security guard ordered the group to run to the exit.
‘‘We had to sprint as fast as we could out the door,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought it was the movie (part of a museum exhibit), but then everyone started screaming and running.’’
The attack was the third in a recent wave of unsettling shootings that appeared to have political underpinnings.
A 23-year-old Army private, William Andrew Long, was shot and killed outside a recruiting office this month in Arkansas and a fellow soldier was wounded. The suspect, a Muslim convert, has said he considers the killing justified because of the U.S. military presence in the Middle East.
Late last month, abortion provider Dr. George Tiller was shot to death in his church.
At the White House a few blocks away from the museum, press secretary Robert Gibbs said he informed President Barack Obama of the events and the chief executive was ‘‘obviously saddened by what has happened.’’
Only last week, Obama visited the site of a German concentration camp at Buchenwald in Germany where he noted, ‘‘There are those who insist the Holocaust never happened.’’ He added, ‘‘This place is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts, a reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our history.’’
Comments
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Posted 03:32 PM, 06/10/2009
And the report that the DHS put out suddenly seems a bit clairvoyant...anti-abortionists and white supremist/anti-government types were outraged, outraged!, when the DHS dare label them as threats. Now we can see why. This man was lauded by our country's most uneducated as a hero.
Yes, they do read your internet ramblings and yes, they will use it against you when you finally haul off and lose your mind.
I just hope he survives long enough to go to trial.
Paradise, Oh
Posted 04:36 PM, 06/10/2009
Right wingers are some scary cats. We have way too many Nazi wannabe's in this country.
Akron, oh
Posted 04:57 PM, 06/10/2009
Like I been saying. Time to bring the troops home and start rounding up the rightwing nutjobs we have stewing over here in our own back yards. We also need to muzzle O'reilly and Hannity, pretty much all of faux news for whipping the idiots into a frenzy as they have been since November.
Akron, oh
Posted 04:59 PM, 06/10/2009
bet it was an assault rifle too. Cause you know its his god given right to be in possession of one and all. You farking nutjobs. And I bet my house he was a card carrying member of the NRA.
Ravenna, OH
Posted 05:07 PM, 06/10/2009
It was proven that the number was 6 million. Not saying it was right. The articles didn't mention gays, gypsies, Russians, mentally ill, and Germans who died helping Jews or spoke out about the leader. How about using "all of the people" who died in the c. camps?
Ravenna, OH
Posted 05:08 PM, 06/10/2009
I meant to say 3 million, not 6 million.
Hudson, Oh
Posted 05:17 PM, 06/10/2009
The shooter is a real nutjob. Just like Brainwashed by the Media seems to be. Scary.
Canton, OH
Posted 05:22 PM, 06/10/2009
NO FIGHTING IN THE HOLOCAUST ROOM !!!!
Akron, oh
Posted 05:30 PM, 06/10/2009
3 million or 6 million. I don't know.I guess if it was only 3 million that's not that big a deal right? Either way Brainwashed too bad the people your descended from weren't included.
Hows that feel big fella?
asshat
Hudson, Oh
Posted 05:32 PM, 06/10/2009
Von Brunn is a white supremacist, an Anti-Semite, a Holocaust denier. Just like Brainwashed.
Paradise, Oh
Posted 05:34 PM, 06/10/2009
The guard just died. Chalk up another kill for American Conservatives.
Canton, OH
Posted 05:46 PM, 06/10/2009
NO KILLING IN THE HOLOCAUST ROOM !!!!!
Stow, Oh
Posted 06:11 PM, 06/10/2009
It's good to see that the MSNBC crew is here in full force. I do wonder though why I don't see any of your comments under the story about the nut who killed his kids and grnadmother-in-law in Canton? Or how about the jihadist who decided to take a serviceman's life in Ark? Wait...I know...It's because they weren't right-wing extremists, correct?
Reality: I never got around to reading your rebuttal to the last debate we had, but I am sure it was interesting. Looking forward to hearing more of your comments on this one.
Stow, Oh
Posted 06:11 PM, 06/10/2009
*grandmother*
Asheville (raised in Akron), NC
Posted 07:52 PM, 06/10/2009
Another christian nut job, no doubt.
Akron, oh
Posted 08:13 PM, 06/10/2009
The guy that killed his mother-in-law and kids is just plain crazy not much to debate there partner. And the Jihadist (probably crazy too)...well I was playing hooky that day and completely missed the article and any heated debates. I am anti-jihadist and/or baby killer for the most part though just so you know. wink
Posted 09:53 PM, 06/10/2009
Another sad day in America!
Ravenna, OH
Posted 11:47 AM, 06/11/2009
Reality, your comments and your name are complete opposites. Everything I stated is a fact, you flaming liberal.
Akron, oh
Posted 02:03 PM, 06/11/2009
And I am not questioning your "facts". I am just making the statement that I feel it would have been at least nice if YOUR family tree had been wiped out as part of the 3 million.
So no need to get your panties in a bunch there Shultz. No one is saying your wrong. You flaming nazi, anti-semite, unamerican domestic terrorist.
I love it when we go straight to the name calling.
