From MSN:
WASHINGTON - An elderly gunman exchanged fire with security guards inside the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on Wednesday. One security guard and the gunman were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as James Wenneker von Brunn, 88, from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, NBC News reported. NBC said he may have had connections to hate groups or anti-government groups.

D.C. police spokeswoman Traci Hughes said the suspect walked into the museum at about 12:50 p.m. ET with a rifle and shot a guard. U.S. Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser says one or more guards at the museum returned fire, hitting the suspect.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the suspect immediately began shooting his rifle as he entered the museum. The FBI said it had no earlier reports of threats against the museum.

Gunman in critical condition
Authorities said the gunman was in critical condition and the security guard was in grave condition. Both were taken to George Washington University Hospital.

A third person reportedly was hurt after being cut by broken glass.

Von Brunn is believed to have had contact with law enforcement in the past, according to NBC. A D.C. Superior Court jury convicted a man by the same name in 1983 of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board.

The case involved a 1981 incident in which police arrested Von Brunn at the board's headquarters carrying several weapons. He was convicted and later released from federal prison in 1989, records show.

At a Wednesday afternoon press conference, officials declined to publicly confirm Von Brunn is their suspect.

According to Joseph Persichini, assistant director in charge of the Washington FBI field office, authorities have dispatched people to a suspect's home to check his computer. He said they are investigating this as a possible hate crime or domestic terrorism.

A racist, anti-Semitic Web site called http://www.holywesternempire.org and a book called "Kill the Best Gentile" were attributed to von Brunn.
White House reaction
The White House said President Barack Obama was saddened by the shooting and concerned about the wounded guard.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said he told Obama about the shooting on Wednesday afternoon. Gibbs later told reporters that he gave Obama the facts as they were known at the time, shortly after shots were fired.
Gibbs says White House officials are receiving regular updates from the FBI, the Homeland Security Council and the White House Situation Room.

The museum normally has a heavy security presence with guards positioned both inside and outside. All visitors are required to pass through metal detectors at the entrance, and bags are screened.

It was not immediately known whether the gunman made it through the detectors before opening fire.

The museum, located just off the National Mall near the Washington Monument, is a popular tourist attraction. It draws about 1.7 million visitors each year.

Roads surrounding the museum have been closed and blocked off with yellow tape. Several police cars and officers on horses surround the area.

Schlosser said park police SWAT teams are doing a secondary sweep of the building, but they don't believe there is another gunman.
Students heard several shots
Sandy Perkins of Massachusetts said her daughter, Abigail, called her shortly after the shooting. The teen was on a school trip to the museum and told her mother students heard several shots before they were told to leave the building.
Abigail said some of her friends were very shaken, but all were otherwise fine, Sandy Perkins said.

The teens did not see where the shots were coming from.

Linda Elston, who is visiting the museum from Nevada City, Calif., says she was on the lower level of the museum watching a film when she and others were told to evacuate.

"It was totally full of people," Elston said. "It took us awhile to get out."

She said she didn't hear any shots and didn't immediately know why there was an evacuation leaving her feeling "a little anxious."

The Embassy of Israel in Washington said it was "shocked and saddened" by the shooting in a statement.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations also released a statement:

"We condemn this apparent bias-motivated attack and stand with the Jewish community and with Americans of all faiths in repudiating the kind of hatred and intolerance that can lead to such disturbing incidents."
[Edited 6/10/09 12:40pm]

The two people shot are, one security guard and the original shooter.
[Edited 6/10/09 10:57am]

give everyone a gun!

Scary stuff, I am watching CNN live now.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

Let us know when the NRA starts propagandizing this story.....

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

PaisleyPark5083 said:

well, you know they will.

guns & hate crime
[Edited 6/10/09 11:41am]

My daughter went to this museum on a school field trip to Washington, last year.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

wonder if it will be a white male and what his agenda is.....

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

In camouflage even.



This museum is always full of kids on field trips and tourists.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

I hope that they did catch whatever freak did this.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

A security guard shot him, both are now in the hospital.

Oh Lord. Here we go again.

PaisleyPark5083 said:

I've been several times and it's deep. Hope the REAL victims are okay.

KKK strikes again.....

this story is all over the news and radio stations here, but so far I haven't heard any updates on the condition of the 2 victims.

Stuff like this is so hard to hear because its a reminder that no matter how far you think society has progressed, there will always be those who resist

Security guard has died. Gunman's condition unknown.

Lammastide said:

Je

sus



At least the guard got to shoot the cretan who shot him. goddamn.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

...And I hope to God he lives to face what he's done.

RIP to that man. He saved the lives of other people today!

matthewgrant said:

Janet Napolitano was right to address domestic terrorists. It's all coming true.

messed.up

Lammastide said:

The security guard is a true hero. he saved so many lives.

What I want to know is, who did this fool intend on killing -- Jewish "sympathizers?" My guess is the majority of the people who visit the museum are white gentiles just like him.
[Edited 6/10/09 13:44pm]

All I have to say is watch CNN. There's a whole lot on this white Supremacist/Holocaust denier. Homegrown terrorist and we know there are tons out there.

Lammastide said:

there was going to be a play there tonight about anne frank and a young black man who was killed. Many different races go there and probably more so today. I assume the play opening tonight lead to this.
[Edited 6/10/09 13:56pm]

matthewgrant said:

Ahhh... Looks like I underestimated. Dude actually may have researched.

Lammastide said:

the fact that a guard is even needed at the museum Poor guy gets up and goes to work and is swept up in someone's lunacy.