Shooting At The Holocaust Museum Leaves One Dead and One In Critical Condition

VIEW SLIDESHOW OF HOLOCAUST MUSEUM SHOOTING

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Shortly before 1 p.m., an elderly, white man walked up to the Holocaust Museum at 14th and Independence Avenue SW with a rifle. The suspect, 88-year-old James Wenneker Von Brunn, then opened fire on the entrance of the museum, and the guard returned fire.

Both the guard, Stephen Tyrone Johns, and the suspect are injured and being transported to GW Hospital. Johns has died and the suspect is in critical condition, according to DC Police. DC Fire and EMS Spokesman Allan Etter says a third person was hit by glass, but the injuries are minor.

The suspect is from Maryland. He appears to be the same Von Brunn as the member of the white supremacist group, HolyWesternEmpire.org.

Sources say Von Brunn had a notebook that listed hundreds of targets. Police are checking those places out to make sure they are safe.

The Museum was packed with scores of tourists. "I heard gunshots," says Christina Lalanne, "and I looked over and saw a security guard kneeling down by the entrance and returning fire."

Dave Unruh was inside. "First we thought something just fell, and then all of a sudden I heard people yelling and screaming, 'Hit the floor! Hit the floor!' So we did, in a little nook, about eight other people. And we were really frightened.... Then the staff of the museum said 'Get up and run!' And we got up and ran."

Johns was a contracted guard from Wackenhut Securities Company. He was based out of Camp Springs.

The 14th Street bridge was shut down, but it has reopened, and traffic seems to be flowing normally. Independence Avenue is shut down from 15th to 12th Streets, and 14th Street is shut down between D Street and Constitution Avenue. The 9th Street Tunnel and Memorial Bridge are open.

The Holocaust Museum has released the following statement:

Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns died heroically in the line of duty today. There are no words to express our grief and shock over these events. He served on the Museum's security staff for six years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Johns' family.

We have made the decision to close the Museum tomorrow in honor of Officer Johns, and our flags will be flown at half mast in his memory.

The FBI Released the following statement:

"Members of the FBI's National Capital Response Squad, SWAT Team, and Evidence Recovery Team deployed to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., to provide on-scene support following a shooting incident at the musuem," said Joseph Persichini, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. "The FBI had no prior knowledge of any act or threat directed at the Holocaust Museum. Preliminary indication is that this incident involved a lone suspect. At this time, we have no additional intelligence information to indicate threats to area landmarks but will monitor the situation closely. The FBI has an outstanding relationship with the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police, and we will together to jointly investigate the facts related to this case."

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