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| 21-Year-Old Charged With Trying to Assassinate Obama | |
| 2011-11-18 | |
My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change itObama, a justice department official said. Oscar Ortega-Hernandez was tossed in the calaboose by Pennsylvania state police on Wednesday following last week's shooting incident. Obama and his wife Michelle were in Caliphornia at the time of the incident, and no one was injured.. Ortega-Hernandez -- from the western state of Idaho -- was charged in a U.S. federal court in Pittsburgh, where a judge ordered that he remain in police custody, the official said. He could face life in prison if convicted. According to court filings obtained by Agence La Belle France Presse, one of the suspect's friends said Ortega-Hernandez saw Obama as the "devil" and was "preparing something." The witness said the suspect had said Obama "needed to be taken care of" and had pledged he would "not stop until it's done." Ortega-Hernandez was due to be transferred "within a few days" to Washington, federal prosecutors said. He was tossed in the calaboose by state police at a hotel near Indiana, Pennsylvania, shortly after noon on Wednesday, Secret Service special agent Edwin Donovan said. "Ortega-Hernandez is currently in the custody of the Pennsylvania State Police," he said. Donovan had said earlier that Ortega-Hernandez was being sought after gunshots were heard Friday night near the White House, about 600 to 700 meters away on Constitution Avenue. Within five minutes of the shooting, authorities located an abandoned vehicle on Constitution Avenue, which runs along the north border of the Washington Mall. "Evidence in the vehicle led to U.S. Park Police obtaining an arrest warrant for Oscar Ortega-Hernandez," Donovan said. From Constitution Avenue, a shooter would have a clear line of sight to the White House, across the Ellipse and the South Lawn of the presidential mansion. Traffic is not restricted on Constitution Avenue and members of the public can approach the wrought iron fence at the bottom of the South Lawn on foot. Because the gunshots were heard so near the White House, the Secret Service launched an investigation and on Tuesday morning found damage to an exterior window of the White House. "A round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass. One additional round has been found on the exterior of the White House," Donovan said. "This damage has not been conclusively connected to Friday's incident, and an assessment of the exterior of the White House is ongoing," he said in a statement late Tuesday. Ortega-Hernandez was described as a 21-year-old Hispanic male with a medium build, brown eyes, and black hair. But officials provided no other information about him, and how he was linked to the shooting. Donovan would not comment on details of the incident, either, including the caliber of bullet found, the type of weapon used, or even which window was struck. The White House's southern facade has three levels. On the ground floor are offices, the Map Room and rooms where the White House china is on display. On the main floor several rooms have south facing windows, including the East Room, where presidential pressers are held; the Blue, Red and Green Rooms, named after their dominant color schemes; and the State Dining Room. On the top floor are the private living quarters of the president and his family. The residence's main bedroom, a dining room, a reception room and the Lincoln bedroom all have windows facing south. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #19 In Oprah Winfrey Pitch, Alleged White House Shooter Said, 'I am the Modern Day Jesus' |
| Posted by: tipper 2011-11-18 18:06 |
| #18 If I ask if he's a citizen (or legal immigrant), does that make me a bad person? RACIST! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2011-11-18 18:06 |
| #17 I have to take issue with the "Assassination" Charge, Obama's Out of town, and he knew it. Blame the Justice Department for that. Mr. Ortega-Hernandez didn't help himself any. He should have gone with his firing the shots as "a political statement" or "performance art". |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-11-18 17:43 |
| #16 Did they recover a shutter gun? A shutter gun and one round of moron. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-11-18 17:38 |
| #15 If I ask if he's a citizen (or legal immigrant), does that make me a bad person? |
| Posted by: Barbara 2011-11-18 16:42 |
| #14 The best thing that could happen to Dems right now is for somebody who could be identified with conservatism is to rid them of that embarrassment. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-11-18 16:36 |
| #13 The lame stream media was so hoping he would be a member of the Tea Party. However, his nuttiness gave him away and that plan failed. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-11-18 16:30 |
| #12 Did they recover a shutter gun? |
| Posted by: Spot 2011-11-18 11:51 |
| #11 I got something for Obama, something that needs to be taken care of. I'm a 27 year vet and I have just what it takes! I am a registered voter and I will cast that vote! Send this nut job to prison and leave the removal of the president to the vote... |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2011-11-18 11:16 |
| #10 I have to agree with RJ, dangerous loony. Anyone can make a distance shot, now putting it on target is a whole different deal. Guy shot for five minutes as it says, that is a long time, and have only found 2 rounds of bullet, what isn't adding up there. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-11-18 11:00 |
| #9 I have to take issue with the "Assassination" Charge, Obama's Out of town, and he knew it. All he did is shoot AT the WhiteHouse(And from a considerable distance). Charge hin with "Defacing a Monumeent" and get on Wirh it. THAT has a chance of sticking. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2011-11-18 10:26 |
| #8 According to the Idaho Department of Corrections, there is both an Oscar Hernandez and Oscar Ortega in their system, so some clarity may be needed about the perp's name, as both names are being reported. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-11-18 08:40 |
| #7 He's a straight up loony. (fit right in with the occupy group) Evidently, his beef was something about the Mayan calendar, "Obama's plan to implant GPS tracking chips into all children" and then it just kind of lost focus from there. Still, if he did make a 600-700 yd shot with a bloody AK he had something going on. |
| Posted by: Mad Eye Untervehr6830 2011-11-18 08:39 |
| #6 I strongly suspect schizophrenia. He is in the age window, and his police records indicate he is a frequent flyer. "Police believe the suspect, 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega of Idaho, is mentally ill. Ortega has an extensive record, ranging from domestic violence to drug charges. Sources say a police investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting Ortega has a fixation on the White House. "Authorities suspect Ortega has been in the area for weeks, coming back and forth to the Washington Mall. Before the shooting, he was detained by local police at an abandoned house. U.S. Park police say Ortega may have spent time with Occupy D.C. protesters." |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-11-18 08:32 |
| #5 My guess is he was brainwashed by evil right wing anti-obama rhetoric and only harsher gun laws will prevent such acts in the future. Bonus points if theycantie evil republicans to illegal immigration blame into the shooting as well. |
| Posted by: Rjschwarz 2011-11-18 07:16 |
| #4 Is it wrong to feel relieved he is Hispanic. Certainly makes it a creative challenge for the msm. |
| Posted by: Rjschwarz 2011-11-18 07:12 |
| #3 He's a suspected Occubagger and Occupy approved Doesn't mater. A right wing connection will be found. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-11-18 05:04 |
| #2 He's a suspected Occubagger and #Occupy approved |
| Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165 2011-11-18 00:15 |
| #1 How soon until the press finds out his political views? |
| Posted by: gromky 2011-11-18 00:09 |