11:40 a.m: Authorities have confirmed that the shooter was 89 year old James Wennecker von Brunn, who has alleged ties to white supremacist and anti-government groups. Park police confirmed that a security guard was shot, possibly critically injured. Von Brunn exchanged shots with other guards and was apparently struck in the head. Both were taken to the hospital. Some reports indicate that von Brunn may not survive.
According to NBC, reporter Brian Williams was told that von Brunn was convicted in 1981 after entering the Federal Reserve carrying a sawed-off shotgun and a handgun, threatening to take Federal Reserve members hostage declaring that he was angry about high interest rates. A guard captured and arrested von Brunn on the building’s second floor. He was later convicted. Â
I found von Brunn’s bio on his web site which claims that he served time in prison after his “Federal Reserve Caper.” He claims to have served as a PT boat captain in WWII, and later as a NY advertising executive and now claims to be an artist. If this is indeed the same person, his website bio is chilling and disturbing. According to the website he wrote, Kill the Best Gentiles, a diatribe blaming Jews for destroying the world.
As of this update, he is in critical condition and appears to be a very disturbed individual who was well-known by anti-hate watchers.
WASHINGTON – A security guard at the National Holocaust Museum has been injured after a shooting Wednesday afternoon.
D.C. police spokeswoman Traci Hughes says a person walked into the museum with a rifle and shot a security guard just before 1 p.m. Then two other security guards returned fire, striking the alleged shooter.
The guard and suspect have been transported to George Washington Hospital. No word on either’s condition at this time.
A third person was injured from flying glass.
We will update this story as information becomes available. Early reporting can be found here.