3 dead in shooting on US Marine base

Authorities believe suspect was staff member at the officer candidate school at Base Quantico in Virginia

22 March 2013, 10:15 am

Edit

Snow covers a sign at US Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia earlier this month (photo credit: AP/US Marine Corps/Cpl. Antwaun L. Jefferson)

QUANTICO, Va. (AP) — Three people, including the suspect, were killed in a shooting at Marine Base Quantico, a base spokesman said.

It began with a shooting around 11 p.m. Thursday that left one dead, said Lt. Agustin Solivan. That shooting lead to a standoff between authorities and the suspect, who was barricaded in barracks at the base.

Authorities entered the barracks early Friday and found the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound along with a second victim. Solivan could not say what prompted authorities to enter the barracks.

No names were immediately released but Solivan said the suspect and both victims were Marines. Authorities believe the suspect was a staff member at the officer candidate school at the base, Solivan said.

Solivan said the shooting was an isolated incident and authorities were confident there were no other casualties. The base was put on lockdown after the shooting but the lockdown was lifted early Friday.