13 confirmed dead in shooting at Washington Navy Yard

At least 13 people have been shot and killed at the Navy Yard in southeast Washington D.C. after at least one gunman opened fire Monday morning.

At least one shooter opened fire at the administrative centre for the U.S. Navy Monday morning. The number of dead includes a suspect, police have confirmed.

The number of dead reported changed throughout the morning, but police confirmed Monday afternoon that at least 13 people are dead. The New York Times reports that others are injured.

The suspect has been identified by the FBI as Aaron Alexis, 34,who last resided in Fort Worth, Texas. The FBI posted a photo of Alexis on its website Monday, which lists him as deceased and asks for anyone with information to come forward.

CNN reports Alexis was working for the navy as a contractor. However, a source tells the Associated Press that the suspected shooter may have gained access to the Navy Yard by using someone else’s identification.

The Washington Post  reports that Aaron Alexis served full-time in the navy from 2007 until he was discharged in 2011.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, police said that two other suspects could still be on the loose. Witnesses had reported seeing two suspects dressed in military-style clothing fleeing, said police. However, one of the suspects was located and was cleared of any wrongdoing.

“The big concern for us right now is that we potentially have two other shooters that we have not located at this point,” Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy L. Lanier told reporters during a news conference in the hours after the shooting took place.

Police said they were still looking for a potential second suspect who is described as a black man, about 50 years old, who was dressed in olive-coloured military-style clothing and carrying what police described as a “long gun.”

Two police officers were among those shot, says the Washington Post report. The police officers both had serious injuries, but were expected to survive.

The Associated Press spoke with witnesses who said that an armed man stood was on the fourth floor of the building and shot at people in the first-floor cafeteria below.

The shooting began at around 8:20 a.m. local time at the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building, where 3,000 people work.

Everyone in the Navy Yard was being ordered to “shelter in place,” according to tweets from the U.S. Navy account.

People in the area were also being instructed to remain inside their homes as the search for the additional suspect continued.