WASHINGTON (AA) - At least 12 people have been killed in the "mass shooting" in Washington Navy Yard earlier on Monday, according to latest official reports.
Washington D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said at least one shooter opened fire in a rampage at the headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command killing 12 and wounding others.
At a mid-day news conference, Lanier said one shooter of the Navy Yard shooting rampage was killed, who was believed to be a civilian former employee at the base, and authorities were looking for two other gunmen who may also have been involved in the attack.
One of the shooters was a black male, who may have been in possession of a long gun, wearing “olive” colored clothing, while the other is white male in his 50s wearing a khaki military uniform who also allegedly carry a handgun, Lanier told the press.
Lanier declined to provide specifics about why police believed others could be connected with the shooting.
Washington Police Chief said information about the shooting is still very preliminary and an “active investigation” is taking place, adding that the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) was taking the lead in the investigation from now on.
She also called on the residents to stay in their houses and keep away from the crime scene which is 2 kilometres far from the US Congress building and 5 kilometres from the White House.
One of the assailants identified as Aaron Alexis
Aaron Alexis, 34, has been identified as the dead Washington Navy Yard shooter, an FBI official said.
Alexis is suspected to have entered the building using someone else's ID.
