Security guard shot at Family Research Council in Washington
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August 15, 2012, 7:26 p.m.
WASHINGTON — A man opened fire inside a conservative Christian lobbying group's headquarters Wednesday, wounding a security guard, and authorities said the gunman was carrying extra ammunition and information related to Chick-fil-A, which has become a public symbol of opposition to gay marriage.


The incident began about 10:45 a.m., officials said, when the man walked into the lobby of the Family Research Council and muttered something. When a security guard confronted him, the man opened fire with a 9-millimeter pistol and hit the guard in the arm, a senior law enforcement official told The Times. Several people helped the guard wrestle the gunman to the ground and disarm him.

When the FBI took the suspect into custody, he had Chick-fil-A “materials” and ammunition in his backpack, the senior law enforcement official said. The official refused to say whether the Chick-fil-A material was a flier, a menu, a sandwich wrapper or something else.

Gay rights groups have called for a boycott of Chick-fil-A because its chief executive took a public stance against gay marriage, and the Family Research Council has supported Chick-fil-A.

The law enforcement official refused to speculate on whether the backpack's contents could have anything to do with the dispute. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case.


The Associated Press reported that the suspect was Floyd Corkins II, 28, of Herndon, Va. Late Wednesday, the FBI released his identity and said in a statement that Corkins was being held overnight on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Messages left at Corkins' home were not immediately returned. The AP also reported that Corkins had volunteered for a local gay rights group.

The Family Research Council is a Christian lobbying organization that condemns abortion and gay marriage and considers homosexuality a sin.

The fast-food chain became a symbol last month when its president, Dan Cathy, was asked during an interview with the Baptist Press whether he opposed gay marriage. His response: “Guilty as charged.”

That sparked demonstrations at Chick-fil-A restaurants by opponents and supporters of gay marriage.

“Chick-fil-A is a Bible-based, Christian-based business who treats their employees well,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said at the time. “They have been attacked in the past about their stand. But they refuse to budge on this matter, and I commend them for what they are doing.”

The chain's restaurants are closed on Sundays, and employees are trained to focus on “values rooted in the Bible.” The company itself does not have a public position on gay marriage.

“Going forward,” a statement on the Chick-fil-A website says, “our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

Perkins extended the group's well wishes to the security guard, whom the Washington Post identified as Leo Johnson.

“Our first concern is with our colleague who was shot today,” Perkins said. “Our concern is for him and his family.”

The guard was hospitalized in stable condition, the Post said.

Investigators were interviewing the suspect and had not yet determined a motive, the senior official said.

Whether the shooting will be classified as a hate crime or domestic terrorism depends on what charges the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office file, FBI spokeswoman Jacqueline Maguire said.

Based on public databases, Corkins lives with his parents in a Herndon subdivision called Kingston Chase. A person who lives across the street said the neighborhood is peaceful and has a pool and a swim team for kids. The neighbor, who would not give her name, said the Corkins family kept to themselves.

Later in the day, Washington police cleared a two-block area around the council's headquarters in Chinatown after investigators found a suspicious package. Bomb squad officers from theBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosivesdetermined that it was not dangerous.

The shooting drew statements from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Obama.

“There is no place for such violence in our society,” Romney said, adding that he would pray for council employees whose sense of security has been shattered.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama expressed concern for the security guard and said, “This type of violence has no place in our society.”

Bennett reported from Washington and Nelson from Los Angeles.

[Updated, 7:25 p.m., Aug. 15: This post now includes the FBI's statement on the identity of the suspect and the charge he faces.]

Follow Laura on Twitter. Email: laura.nelson@latimes.com

Copyright © 2012, Los Angeles Times

Family Research Council guard shot by gunman in D.C.
View Photo Gallery — Family Research Council security guard shot: A security guard a was shot and wounded after a scuffle with a man who expressed disagreement with the group’s conservative views.
Text Size PrintE-mailReprintsBy Paul Duggan and Mary Pat Flaherty, Published: August 15The Washington Post An armed intruder, spouting opposition to social conservatism, walked into the Washington headquarters of the Family Research Council on Wednesday and shot a security guard before the wounded guard and others wrestled him to the floor and subdued him until police arrived, authorities said.

They identified the suspect as Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, of Herndon, who has a master’s degree from George Mason University’s College of Education and Human Development. Corkins was in FBI custody Wednesday night; authorities had not filed charges against him.

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An armed man walked into the Washington headquarters of a conservative Christian lobbying group Wednesday and was confronted by a security guard, whom he shot in the arm before the guard and others wrestled him to the ground, authorities said.

.The guard, identified by the Family Research Council as Leo Johnson, was shot in the arm before or during the incident in the lobby, D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said. She credited Johnson with preventing a tragedy by stopping the man, who was carrying a 9mm handgun, from reaching the upstairs offices in the group’s six-story building at Eighth and G streets NW.

“The security guard here is a hero, as far as I’m concerned,” Lanier said outside the building, across from the National Portrait Gallery and a block from the Verizon Center, an area crowded with tourists on a sunny morning.

“He did his job,” Lanier said. “The person never made it past the front.”

Johnson was hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said. No one else was wounded.

The FBI said it was evaluating evidence to determine whether to charge Corkins with a federal crime, such as attempting a terrorist act. Authorities said the decision will hinge on what the FBI concludes was the assailant’s motive for entering the building with a loaded Sig Sauer semiautomatic.

Officials said they were interviewing Corkins and searching his vehicle. They also were at his Herndon home Wednesday night interviewing his family and neighbors.

The Family Research Council, a conservative lobbying group, deals in issues of faith, family and freedom, its Web site says. The organization opposes abortion and euthanasia, among other practices, and says it considers homosexuality to be a sin.

Social-issues groups on the left and right of the political spectrum and both presidential candidates weighed in on the shooting in e-mails and public statements.

Gary Bauer, a former president of the Family Research Council and now head of American Values, cited “a disturbing level of intolerance and hate aimed at those who share traditional values.”

“Men and women of faith must not be intimidated into silence,” Bauer said.

Speaking for several lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination said: “We utterly reject and condemn such violence” and “wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident.”

Two law enforcement officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said the gunman entered the lobby carrying a satchel, with a bag from a Chick-fil-A restaurant inside. The Atlanta-based fast-food chain has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks after its president spoke out against same-sex marriage. The Family Research Council also opposes such unions.

SlaveToDorkness wrote:My church has just recently established a security committee for such as this. The lines are being drawn.

d-usa wrote:What makes him a terrorist? Is it because he was shooting Christians?

d-usa wrote:What makes him a terrorist? Is it because he was shooting Christians?

LordofHats wrote:

d-usa wrote:What makes him a terrorist? Is it because he was shooting Christians?

Somebody does something horrible. TERRORISM!

Is that not how it works? Really? Damn... Maybe we should inform everyone so they stop throwing that word around.

LordofHats wrote:Movie theater guy was called a terrorist. Several times actually So was the guy who shot up that Sikh temple.

Maybe it's a Yahoo! news thing wouldn't be surprised.

d-usa wrote:I haven't heard movie guy referred to one. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Sikh shooter being referred to as a domestic terrorist.

mattyrm wrote: Worst terrorist ever.

Hit one guy in the arm!?

Surely that is far too pathetic for the bloke to be called a terrorist, maybe he was just going in for a chat and his gun accidentally went off once?

LordofHats wrote:Movie theater guy was called a terrorist. Several times actually So was the guy who shot up that Sikh temple.

Maybe it's a Yahoo! news thing wouldn't be surprised.

LordofHats wrote:

d-usa wrote:I haven't heard movie guy referred to one. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Sikh shooter being referred to as a domestic terrorist.

Linky

If someone did something violent post 9/11. You can bet someone somewhere, is calling them a terrorist

LordofHats wrote:Read the linky above There's actually an article about it. And I know some Yahoo! news articles threw the word around, cause you know, its Yahoo!

Is it really that hard to believe some people will just throw out a 'terrorist' here and there

EDIT: I didn't say it was common. I said it was used.

You, LordofHats, are a terrorist.

That's kind of a schoolyard argument.

LordofHats wrote:Is it really that hard to believe some people will just throw out a 'terrorist' here and there

LordofHats wrote:

You, LordofHats, are a terrorist.

I do like to inspire fear. Unfortunately most people don't find hat based pranks and gags all that threatening...

And again I never said anything about it being common. I said it happened.

That's kind of a schoolyard argument.

Yeah but so are strawmen, so...

"People called him a terrorist because I found one example of it occurring and that example talks about how it's not occurring very much.

This is a good and honest argument because all I have to do is find a single instance of it occurring."

If my claim is "he's been called a terrorist" yeah I kind of do only need one instance, ignoring that inevitably there are probably a dozen out there (probably hundreds if we throw in all them crazy and poorly edited new sources).

That you chose to interpret such a simplistic claim into "it's a common practice" isn't my fault.