Pentagon Orders Security Review after Base Shooting

Local Editor

The Pentagon said Tuesday it would review security at US bases worldwide after a contractor gunned down 12 people in Washington, as investigators worked to uncover the shooter's motive.

A day after the shooting, officials were struggling to answer how and why 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, a former sailor with a history of disciplinary problems and brushes with the law, had been granted a security clearance.
Alexis opened fire Monday at the tightly guarded Washington Navy Yard, where he had a valid entry pass, according to the FBI. He eventually died in a shootout with police at the giant compound.

With lawmakers questioning the vetting of contractors, War Secretary Chuck Hagel "intends to order a review of physical security and access at all Department installations worldwide," a senior Pentagon official said.
Monday's mass shooting - which sparked a fresh call from President Barack Obama for Congress to act on gun law reform - left Federal authorities acknowledging that their probe had much to uncover.
"As we have moved from a crisis stage to the investigation stage of this case, our focus and efforts are going to be on the questions we all have," said US federal prosecutor Ronald Machen.

"What caused this individual to kill so many innocent men and women? How did he carry out and plan this attack? How did he get access to the weapons?"
Alexis, a former naval reservist hired as an IT subcontractor for computer giant Hewlett-Packard, entered the base Monday with a legally purchased shotgun, officials confirmed, dispelling earlier reports that he had been armed with an assault rifle.
He arrived in the Washington area on or about August 25 and stayed in local hotels, but his motive remained a mystery, said Valerie Parlave, assistant director of the FBI's Washington field office.
"We continue to conduct interviews, exploit digital media, and run down every lead we can to piece together his recent movements and determine the motive behind his attack," she said.

The New York Times reported that Alexis suffered from delusions, recounting how he called police in Rhode Island last month complaining about hearing voices.
Pentagon officials could not confirm if Alexis suffered mental health problems. He served in the Navy from 2007 to 2011, and officers said his record was marked by numerous cases of misconduct.
They ranged from minor offenses such as being late for work to more serious incidents involving disorderly conduct and insubordination, Navy officials said on condition of anonymity.

The White House said Tuesday that President Barack Obama had ordered a review into security standards for contractors at federal agencies.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team