Gunman shoots two Pentagon police officers in Washington

WASHINGTON - A 36-year-old gunman injured two Pentagon police officers while trying to enter the complex on Thursday evening. He was shot and taken into custody.

While the motive for the shooting wasn’t immediately clear, the gunman was identified as John Patrick Bedell, Fox News reports.

Addressing a press conference, Pentagon Police Chief Richard Keevil said Bedell was calm as he approached the officers at the Pentagon’s main entrance around 6:40 p.m.

The officers asked to see his pass for entering the building and he started shooting without saying a word.

“He reached into his pocket and they assumed he was going to get out his pass and he just started shooting,” Keevil said.

The officers immediately fired back.

Keevil said that police officers’ injuries aren’t life-threatening, while the gunman’s injuries are more serious.

According to a Pentagon source, the gunman was shot in the head.

The three involved in the shooting had been taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment.

“Fortunately there were no other injuries. A lot of people are coming and going at that time of the night,” said Keevil.

The Pentagon was on lockdown for a short while, and the Blue-Yellow line stop at the Pentagon station is still closed.

A second person was being questioned by the authorities, but sources say the person might just be a witness and is not being considered a suspect. (ANI)