A suspected gunman who injured 4 individuals when he “indiscriminately” opened fireplace from a fifth-floor condo in Washington, D.C., final week had three fully automatic rifles and shot greater than 200 rounds of ammunition, authorities stated Monday.
The suspect, Raymond Spencer, 23, is alleged to have had 800 extra unspent rounds and three extra firearms, together with two handguns, at his condo in the town’s Van Ness neighborhood, Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee stated at a public security briefing.
Spencer is alleged to have arrange a hallway digital camera to watch individuals approaching the unit, Contee stated, including that an equipment was wedged in opposition to the house’s entrance door to gradual anybody attempting to enter.
Police had to ram the condo’s entrance door to open it, Contee stated.
At a second condo in Northern Virginia, police found components for 3 extra rifles that additionally belonged to Spencer, Contee stated.
Authorities imagine Spencer, who had been recognized as an individual of curiosity in the case, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound as officers had been coming into his condo Friday, Contee stated.
Authorities beforehand stated Spencer used a tripod and a “sniper-type set up” to open fireplace.
“I’m thankful we didn’t lose more lives that day,” Contee instructed reporters.
A 12-year-old lady was shot in the arm, and a girl in her mid-30s and a 54-year-old man had been additionally hit, police stated. A lady in her mid-60s with a graze wound to her higher again was handled on the scene and launched.
Contee stated investigators had been attempting to find out a motive. It wasn’t clear whether or not the shooting was linked to a close-by prep college, Edmund Burke, that was positioned on lockdown through the shooting.
Security video captured Spencer rolling a suitcase into the Washington condo the evening earlier than the shooting, Contee stated. Just a few hours earlier than he’s alleged to have opened fireplace, Spencer went to a grocery retailer and purchased two meals, he added.
Contee stated Spencer was a former lifeguard who attended highschool in suburban Maryland. He was in the Coast Guard for a number of months in 2017, Contee stated.
It wasn’t instantly clear why Spencer was discharged. The Coast Guard didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. Contee additionally stated it additionally wasn’t clear how he was capable of lease two residences or purchase weapons and ammunition.
“There are a lot of things we need to know that we don’t know,” he stated.
Two victims who suffered gunshot wounds remained in essential situation Monday, NBC Washington reported.