Ortega-Hernandez told a witness he wanted to hurt the president, whom he referred to as “the anti-Christ.” Another witness heard Ortega say he “needed to kill” Obama. A third witness told authorities Ortega owns an assault weapon with a scope. Ortega blamed Obama for problems with the federal goverment and believed the president is the devil, the witness told federal agents.
FBI investigators found several bullet impact points on the south side of the White House on the second and third stories — the residence of the president and his family. The bullet and bullet fragments are the same type found in Ortega’s car, authorities reported. The Secret Service reported that one bullet struck an upstairs window but was stopped by bulletproof glass. Another bullet struck the exterior of the building, though the service has not said exactly where.
Gunfire was reported at around 9 p.m. Friday, the Secret Service said. The sound of the shots came from around the intersection of 16th Street and Constitution Avenue, which is the equivalent of about 8 football fields distance from the White House.
President Obama, who is on a trip to the Asia-Pacific region, was not at the White House at the time of the shooting.
Ortega has an arrest record in three states but has not been linked to any radical organizations, U.S. Park Police said. If convicted, he could face life in prison. He remains in federal custody until a magistrate in Washington determines whether he should remain jailed until he stands trial.
The last White House shooting occurred in 1994, when Francisco Martin Duran fired a semiautomatic rifle from Pennsylvania Avenue. He was subdued by bystanders. Duran is now serving a 40-year prison sentence for the shooting.
If there is such a thing as Divine Justice, with Jesus Christ being depicted and portrayed in popular culture as a fair-skinned, blue eyed white man … I’m thinking the “anti-Christ” that brings the world to an end and delivers souls to Satan better not be black.
The voices in Ortega’s head really need to take that into consideration. –kathleen cross
