Navy Yard Opens 3 Days After Mass Shooting
The Washington, D.C. Navy Yard, site of the mass shooting on the part of Aaron Alexis, has reopened three days after the tragedy.
The Navy Yard resumed normal operations Thursday morning, three days after Alexis murdered 12 individuals on the site before being killed himself.
According to Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty, the reopening will involve a normal workday, with nearly all buildings being fully operational.
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The exceptions to this, noted Flaherty to CBS News, will be the building where the shooting took place and the base gym, which is being used by investigators.
Law enforcement officials are still attempting to find a motive for the shooting, with Alexis' issues surrounding mental illness as a likely possibility.
Alexis, 34, a Navy reservist, was eventually identified as the lone gunman in the deadly shooting in Washington that left 12 people dead.
While he had both a history of mental illness and two past charges regarding illegal use of firearms, Alexis held a military subcontractor position and had access to the Navy Yard.
Various reports have noted his obsession with shooter video games, with friends having to order him food during his gaming "marathons."
According to a friend, Alexis was also "not happy with America," as reported by Mark Potter and Charles Hadlock of NBC News.
"He was tired of dealing with the government," said Kristi Suthamtewkal, spouse of the owner of a Fort Worth restaurant Alexis once frequented.
In a statement, Alexis' mother expressed sadness for the families of the victims and expressed that she was "glad" he could no longer hurt anyone else.
"His actions have had a profound and everlasting effect on the families of the victims," Cathleen Alexis said in a statement on Wednesday, NBC News reported. "I don't know why he did what he did, and I'll never be able to ask him why. Aaron is now in a place where he can no longer do harm to anyone, and for that I am glad."
As investigators continue to assess what happened, at least one union representative blamed management for understaffing the police force.
Anthony Meely, chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police Naval District Labor Committee, stated that 11 Navy police officers were supposed work at the Navy Yard Monday, but only seven were at the site because of cutbacks.
"People died because of management rights, the right to make a decision to save money," said Meely, as reported by USA Today.
