Security Guard Shoots Intruder at Washington D.C. News Station

Security Guard Shoots Intruder at Washington D.C. News Station

A burglary suspect was shot by a security guard after forcefully making his way inside the lobby of a news station.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Oct 24, 2018

A security guard shot an intruder at a Washington D.C. news station on Monday afternoon, according to both the station and police. 

The incident happened a little after 3 p.m. at WTTG-TV's building in the Friendship Heights neighborhood. Police say the 38-year-old suspect broke through at least one set of glass doors that the station says employees must have an ID to swipe for entry. 

The security guard onsite first used pepper spray, but then she fired her weapon when the spray did not slow the suspect down, police said. The intruder was shot once in the chest. 

"He forced his way in by kicking in the door, and the shooting happened in the lobby areas of the station," Washington police Cmdr. Melvin Gresham said, adding that the suspect was not armed at the time of the break in. 

Gresham called the suspect "stable, alert and conscious." Police found that the suspect had made threats against the Fox News affiliate, as well as law enforcement, and was known to Fox News executives and local police. However, it was still unclear whether threats were aimed at Fox News network, or the affiliate specifically, police said.

The incident happened just 35 miles away from the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, where a gunman killed five employees on June 28.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

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