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Navy Yard: Swat team 'stood down' at mass shooting scene Navy Yard: Swat team 'stood down' at mass shooting scene
(35 minutes later)
One of the first teams of heavily armed police to respond to Monday's shooting in Washington DC was ordered to stand down by superiors, the BBC can reveal.One of the first teams of heavily armed police to respond to Monday's shooting in Washington DC was ordered to stand down by superiors, the BBC can reveal.
A tactical response team of the Capitol Police, a force that guards the US Capitol complex, was told to leave the scene by a supervisor instead of aiding municipal officers.A tactical response team of the Capitol Police, a force that guards the US Capitol complex, was told to leave the scene by a supervisor instead of aiding municipal officers.
The Capitol Police department said senior officials were investigating.The Capitol Police department said senior officials were investigating.
Aaron Alexis, 34, killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday.Aaron Alexis, 34, killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday.
"I don't think it's a far stretch to say that some lives may have been saved if we were allowed to intervene," a Capitol Police source familiar with the incident told the BBC."I don't think it's a far stretch to say that some lives may have been saved if we were allowed to intervene," a Capitol Police source familiar with the incident told the BBC.
Assault weapons ready
A former Navy reservist, Alexis was working as a technical contractor for the Navy and had a valid pass and security clearance allowing him entry to the highly secure building in south-east Washington DC.A former Navy reservist, Alexis was working as a technical contractor for the Navy and had a valid pass and security clearance allowing him entry to the highly secure building in south-east Washington DC.
He entered the building about 8:15 local time (12:15 GMT) and opened fire. He was later killed by police who stormed the building. About 8:15 local time (12:15 GMT), Alexis entered Building 197, headquarters for Naval Sea Systems Command, which builds and maintains ships and submarines for the Navy, and opened fire.
But multiple sources in the Capitol Police department have told the BBC that its highly trained and heavily armed four-man Containment and Emergency Response Team (Cert) was near the Navy Yard when the initial report of an active shooter came in about 8:20 local time. Armed with a shotgun and a pistol he took from a guard he had shot, he sprayed bullets in a hallway and fired from a balcony down on to workers in an atrium.
He fired on police officers who eventually stormed the building, and was later killed in the shootout.
Multiple sources in the Capitol Police department have told the BBC that its highly trained and heavily armed four-man Containment and Emergency Response Team (Cert) was near the Navy Yard when the initial report of an active shooter came in about 8:20 local time.
The officers, wearing full tactical gear and armed with HK-416 assault weapons, arrived outside Building 197 a few minutes later, an official with knowledge of the incident told the BBC.The officers, wearing full tactical gear and armed with HK-416 assault weapons, arrived outside Building 197 a few minutes later, an official with knowledge of the incident told the BBC.
'A different outcome'
According to a Capitol Police source, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Washington DC's main municipal force, told the Capitol Cert officers they were the only police on the site equipped with long guns and requested their assistance in searching for the gunman.According to a Capitol Police source, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Washington DC's main municipal force, told the Capitol Cert officers they were the only police on the site equipped with long guns and requested their assistance in searching for the gunman.
When the Capitol Police team radioed in to their superiors, they were told by a watch commander to leave the scene, the BBC was told.When the Capitol Police team radioed in to their superiors, they were told by a watch commander to leave the scene, the BBC was told.
The gunman, Aaron Alexis, was reported killed after 9:00.The gunman, Aaron Alexis, was reported killed after 9:00.
Several Capitol Police sources who spoke to the BBC preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.Several Capitol Police sources who spoke to the BBC preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.
Capitol Police Officer Jim Konczos, who leads the officers' union, said the Cert officers train for what are known as active shooter situations and are expert marksmen. Capitol Police Officer Jim Konczos, who leads the officers' union, said the Cert police train for what are known as active shooter situations and are expert marksmen.
"Odds are it might have had a different outcome," he said of Monday's shooting and the decision to have the Cert unit stand down. "It probably could have been neutralised.""Odds are it might have had a different outcome," he said of Monday's shooting and the decision to have the Cert unit stand down. "It probably could have been neutralised."
MPD spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump said allegations the Capitol Police Cert team was on scene and later stood down were "not true".
On Wednesday, the Capitol Police said in a statement its leadership had "opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations".On Wednesday, the Capitol Police said in a statement its leadership had "opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations".
"The [Capitol Police] offered and provided mutual support and assistance at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday," said spokeswoman Lt Kimberly Schneider."The [Capitol Police] offered and provided mutual support and assistance at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday," said spokeswoman Lt Kimberly Schneider.
'A blind eye'
Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terry Gainer, who oversees the Capitol Police department, confirmed officials were pulling radio logs from Monday's incident and interviewing the officers involved.Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terry Gainer, who oversees the Capitol Police department, confirmed officials were pulling radio logs from Monday's incident and interviewing the officers involved.
"It's a very serious allegation and inference to indicate that we were on scene and could have helped and were told to leave," he said. "It crushes me if that's the case.""It's a very serious allegation and inference to indicate that we were on scene and could have helped and were told to leave," he said. "It crushes me if that's the case."
Mr Gainer said the department's primary responsibility is to protect the Capitol complex, which houses the US Congress, but that mission did not allow it to turn a "blind eye" when asked for help.Mr Gainer said the department's primary responsibility is to protect the Capitol complex, which houses the US Congress, but that mission did not allow it to turn a "blind eye" when asked for help.
MPD spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump said allegations the Capitol Police Cert had stood down rather than confront the attacker were "not true". Alexis had a history of mental health problems, previous gun-related brushes with the law, and citations for insubordination.
Armed with a shotgun as well as a handgun, Alexis fired from a balcony down onto workers in an atrium at the heavily secured installation, killing twelve and wounding three others, including an MPD officer.
The former Navy reservist had a history of mental health problems, previous gun-related brushes with the law, and citations for insubordination.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel acknowledged "there were a lot of red flags" in Alexis' background that had been missed in the security clearance process which ultimately resulted in his having access to the secure building where he undertook the attack.On Wednesday, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel acknowledged "there were a lot of red flags" in Alexis' background that had been missed in the security clearance process which ultimately resulted in his having access to the secure building where he undertook the attack.
"Why they didn't get picked up, why they didn't get incorporated into the clearance process, what he was doing, those are all legitimate questions that we're going to be dealing with," he told reporters."Why they didn't get picked up, why they didn't get incorporated into the clearance process, what he was doing, those are all legitimate questions that we're going to be dealing with," he told reporters.
Right call?
He said he had ordered the Pentagon to conduct a wide-ranging review of the physical security at all US defence installations across the world and of the security clearance process.He said he had ordered the Pentagon to conduct a wide-ranging review of the physical security at all US defence installations across the world and of the security clearance process.
"Where there are gaps, we will close them," he said. "Where there are inadequacies, we will address them. And where there are failures, we will correct them.""Where there are gaps, we will close them," he said. "Where there are inadequacies, we will address them. And where there are failures, we will correct them."
A Capitol Police officer who heard the Cert request over the radio to engage the gunman reported colleagues within the department felt frustrated they were told to stand down.A Capitol Police officer who heard the Cert request over the radio to engage the gunman reported colleagues within the department felt frustrated they were told to stand down.
The officer described a culture in which emergency responders are instructed to not extend themselves beyond the Capitol grounds for fear of discipline.The officer described a culture in which emergency responders are instructed to not extend themselves beyond the Capitol grounds for fear of discipline.
"They were relying on our command staff to make the right call," another Capitol Police officer said. "Unfortunately I don't think that happened in this case.""They were relying on our command staff to make the right call," another Capitol Police officer said. "Unfortunately I don't think that happened in this case."