UPDATED: Murder at U.S. Holocaust Museum

UPDATE BY HOLLY IN CINCINNATI:

Grief, Shock After ‘Outstanding’ Guard Loses His Life in Line of Duty

Traces of Gunman’s Online Life Begin to Vanish

Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns

Holocaust Museum Shooter Had Close Ties to Prominent neo-Nazis

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum issued the following statement on today’s shootings:

“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.”

NBC: Homegrown hate groups increase in number

Commentary by Mark Blumenthal

Now I’m seeing reports that another person was shot or otherwise injured.

Live Blogging: Museum Shooting

Guard Reportedly Slain is Identified, AP Reports
The Holocaust Museum guard that reportedly died in today’s shooting is Stephen Tyrone Johns, according to the Associated Press. He is African-American and worked at the museum for 6 years.

Police: Suspect Is a White Supremacist
Suspect is identified as 88-year-old James W. von Brunn, who decries Jews, blacks on rambling, racist and bitterly anti-Semitic website.
Michael Ruane | 2:50 ET

Two People Shot at U.S. Holocaust Museum
Security Guard And Gunman Shot
U.S. Park Police say man armed with a rifle opened fire on a security guard while other guards returned fire, wounding gunman.
William Branigin, Debbi Wilgoren | 4:04 ET

The details of this story are evolving. Ongoing, live coverage is available from the WaPo.

That paper’s Debbi Wilgoren and William Branigin were among the first to report the following:

A law enforcement source identified the gunman as James W. von Brunn, who is known to authorities as a white supremacist.

There’s more on von Brunn at London’s Times Online. Memeorandum offers a detailed summary of links to related coverage as of approximately 3:30 pm ET. Check Memeorandum’s home page for later updates.

51 Responses to “UPDATED: Murder at U.S. Holocaust Museum”

1. ShirenkieBaby says:

   June 12, 2009 at 3:51 pm

   I am so deeply embarrassed by my fellow Americans. how can we be in the land of the free and home of the brave and just keep categorizing people. We of all people should be more accepting of other religions that anyone in this world. but to place a label on a man who did such a terrible crime, that has no truth involved by no means, is truly a disgrace. How could you label him a Muslim and say he is a terrorist and he might be working with the Arab's. That is appalling! Just because someone is Muslim, it does not mean they are a terrorist. Just because someone is Arabian, it does not make them a terrorist. This man however is not a terrorist, he is an embarrassment, the lowest kind of person ever to walk American soil. No one deserves to be labeled. If someone walked around naming you names and calling you outside of your norm, you would not be happy. Muslims do not deserve that label, no more than a loyal priest deserves to be called a child molester. This white supremist and anti semitic is just that! Nothing more and nothing less…..America Does Not Need Racism, America is Beautiful because WE, People of all kinds are making it what it is and people like that do not deserve this soil.