Pentagon, Marine Museum Shootings Linked

Ballistic tests have conclusively shown that the same weapon fired on both the Pentagon and National Museum of the Marine Corps, the FBI announced yesterday. Officials suspect a third shooting at a Marine Corps recruiting office this week may be related as well. “I don't think at this point in time we are prepared to say this is a serial of any kind,” a spokesman told the Washington Post. “But the targets are all blatantly military.”

Both the Pentagon and the museum are within range of a busy interstate. The buildings are roughly 30 miles apart. Both shootings occurred either late at night or early in the morning, when the buildings were either unoccupied or close to it. For that reason, police say they view the shootings mostly as vandalism. “But it is a cause for concern that someone would be doing this.” (More Pentagon shooting stories.)