At least 12 people were killed and nearly a dozen injured in a mass shooting at a secure military facility – Washington Navy Yard, recently. The US federal authorities said they believed the shooting was the act of a lone gunman, identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, who was working for a military subcontractor.

Civilian employees described a scene of confusion as shots erupted through the hallways of the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters, on the banks of the Anacostia River a few kilometres from the White House and about a kilometre from the Capitol.

Officials said Alexis drove a rental car to the base and entered using his access as a contractor and shot an officer and one other person outside Building 197, the Sea Systems Command headquarters. Later he started aiming at employees having breakfast in an atrium.

The names of seven of the victims were released on September 16: Michael Arnold, 59; Sylvia Frasier, 53; Kathy Gaarde, 62; John Roger Johnson, 73; Frank Kohler, 50; Kenneth Bernard Proctor, 46; and Vishnu Pandit, 61. Officials said names of the other victims would be released after their families had been contacted. All of the victims were believed to be civilians or contractors. No active duty military personnel were killed, said Chief Cathy L. Lanier of Washington.

Three weapons were found on Alexis: an AR-15 assault rifle, a shotgun and a semi-automatic pistol. The navy yard is protected by a high wall, but someone with official access could have driven a car into the parking lot without having the trunk inspected.