In the 24 hours since the deadly Monday (Sept. 16) shooting that took place at Washington’s Navy Yard facility, new facts regarding the alleged shooter Aaron Alexis have begun to emerge. Along with a history of arrests, Alexis also struggled with mental illness as well.
Several outlets have been compiling reports as a profile of Alexis has been shaped by investigators as they continue to uncover clues. A total of 13 people were killed, including the gunman, with countless others injured. A slow recovery to normalcy has taken place in and around the Navy Yard while a nation waits to learn more.
Hip-HopWired has combed through the facts to share what we know about Aaron Alexis thus far.
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Photos: FBI, Kristi Suthamtewakul
NBC News reported on the background of Alexis, who was said by friends and family to be a peaceful Buddhist and fluent Thai speaker. The Fort Worth, Texas native had been honorably discharged from the Navy in 2011 after serving for four years, and served as a Naval reservist. But sources say to NBC that Alexis had received prior treatment for “hearing voices” and sleep deprivation, most recently from the Veterans Administration in New England.
In attempting to determine a motive, authorities reached back into Alexis’ past and uncovered two of his arrests. In 2004, he was charged with malicious mischief in Seattle for shooting out the tires of a construction worker’s vehicle because he claimed the person disrespected him. In 2010 while living in Forth Worth, Alexis accidentally fired a gun in his home that he claims was being cleaned. After facing a misdemeanor charge of recklessly discharging the firearm, the police couldn’t prove he was intentional in his firing of the gun.
Alexis and a group of IT contractors arrived in Washington and were staying at the nearby Residence Inn in the city’s Southwest section. According to Algernon Alexis, the shooter’s father, he told NBC his son was working a computer job and was studying an unspecified topic. A company known as “The Experts” was the contractor outfit that Alexis and the five other contractors were employed by to work at the Navy Yard.
The shotgun Alexis used was purchased in a Lorton, Va. Gun shop and allegedly obtained a handgun and AR-15 assault rifle (pictured) during his initial attack according to the FBI. Although Alexis had a high-level security clearance, and he was allowed to enter the highly-guarded Navy Yard with proper identification. It was initially reported Alexis may have snuck his way in using someone else’s ID.
Alexis was identified using his fingerprints after he exchanged gunfire with police officers.
