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    DC Shooting Suspect Could Be Threat to Obama, Police Say

    ABC News has learned authorities are increasingly concerned that a man sought in connection with a bizarre shooting incident on the Washington Mall last week may pose a threat to President Obama.

    The Secret Service now suspects that a bullet fired in this incident may have hit the White House after a bullet round was found in a White House window, though the round had not yet been conclusively linked to the incident.  The round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass, while an additional round has been found on the exterior of the White House.

    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.

    At 9:30 p.m. Friday, police received reports of shots fired in the bustling area of 16th street and Constitution Ave.

    Authorities would later find a car in the area. The suspect had fled, but what police discovered inside the vehicle left them deeply concerned: an assault style rifle and empty shell casings.

    Police linked the car to Ortega and have been hunting him ever since.

    It’s unclear whether Ortega is capable of launching a sophisticated attack, but police are still fearful of what he might do next.

    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 blending in with Occupy D.C. protesters.

    President Obama, who is currently on a visit to Australia, was not present at the White House at the time of the incident, and in fact has been out of town for the past week. Secret Service officials are not taking any chances with the security of the President and the White House, though, and want Ortega off the street.

    Also Read
     
    • Robb  •  Gaithersburg, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Wait a man who shoots at the White House "COULD" be a threat to the President? Get out of town!!
    • KS  •  6 mths ago
      How isn't this top news as opposed to the Kardashians??
      • Camilas Dad 6 mths ago
        Because NObama isnt real news, He's just a pawn.
      • George 6 mths ago
        KS, YOU ARE AN IDIOT! Take your hate to another world!.. we dispise people like you! Of course, its NEWS! We're talking about the a possible threat to the President of the United States' life. if that's not news to you, then tell us why you even bothered to read this article, let alone why you bothered to even reply?!
      • Apollo01 N 6 mths ago
        The difference is, ballistic glass stopped the bullet(s) at the White House. Kim Kardashian's ballistic make-up stopped bullets from causing her any injuries.
    • Ounce of Logic  •  6 mths ago
      A bullet or bullets hit the White House and the police THINK their "suspect" may be a threat to the President???? Man those DC cops are really sharp.
      • Jamie 6 mths ago
        Sharp as a brick. Them cops.
      • The Rod 6 mths ago
        I'm willing to be this didn't happen. I'll almost guarantee this is media fodder to rally his base, because his numbers are so bad.
        Think about it? He's not even there! And if anyone were actually out to get him, don't you think they'd know where to target him?
      • Amanda 6 mths ago
        Rod, they said the guy is mentally ill.
    • joey  •  Lafayette, United States  •  6 mths ago
      he could make the "Dumb Crook News"..... takes a shot at WH, then runs, leaving the rifle and THE REGISTRATON ,With his name and address, in the car?
      • Snickeringelf 6 mths ago
        What part of mentally ill eluded you?
      • Ricky T 6 mths ago
        Don't believe what you hear, and only half of what you see...
      • Observer 6 mths ago
        I was just going to say that but you beat me to it so I gave you a thumbs up
    • Jim C  •  Atlanta, United States  •  6 mths ago
      This guy gets off a round at the White House and he was suspected of this kind of activity to begin with? Why wasn't the Secret Service keeping tabs on him while he was in the vicinity?
      • D 6 mths ago
        They had the cops verify that he was living in an abandoned house ... then they let him go .... they were keeping tabs!!! He just didn't fire when the secret service told him to so now they have to do a cover up.
      • Anonymous 6 mths ago
        That sounds right D
      • biggeorge 6 mths ago
        great question
    • AfflackQuack  •  6 mths ago
      Remember now folks, these detectives are the best of the best !
    • The Salt Lick  •  6 mths ago
      How does someone shoot at the White House and walk away? Something is wrong with the security if these things can happen.
    • Bad Timing  •  6 mths ago
      ...the round had not yet been conclusively linked to the incident.

      Is there a huge problem of rounds being fired at the White House?
    • Fredna  •  Dallas, United States  •  6 mths ago
      He may pose a greater threat to a lot more people than Obama if he's insane, armed with a semiautomatic weapon, and roaming the streets. No offense, but Obama has a security detachment and body armor.
    • Rob Czapla  •  6 mths ago
      He hates these cans! Stay away from the cans!
    • Earl  •  Temple, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Something is suspicious. The video shows officers unloading a weapon said to be an "assault-type rifle". The gun in the video is a shotgun. Big difference.
    • Eric  •  Houston, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Let's THINK about this. I google-mapped the distance from 16th and constitution ave to the front of the White House, and it's no less than 1500 ft, or 500 yards. The max effective range of the "daddy" of assualt rifles, the 7.62mm AK-47 is 437 yards, and the 5.56 mm M16 is 550 yards. With the "extensive record" this guy has, he probably has no military training, and might not have even been able to buy the rifle legally, in which case it's stolen. I shot expert every time on the range, as a Marine, and I can tell you, to hit a target like a window, at 500 yards (open sights), even with military training, is no small feat. He either got LUCKY, or they got the total wrong guy, or this is nonesense.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Sacramento, United States  •  6 mths ago
      they keep using that word assault rifle, tell me whats an Assault rifle reporters...
      its just a rifle.
    • David  •  6 mths ago
      This guy "could" be a threat to the President? Are you sure guys?
    • Micah S  •  6 mths ago
      "Could be a threat" I think anyone shooting at anyone else should be classified as a definite threat.
    • JAMES vC  •  San Antonio, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Don't you just love accuracy in "news reporting" ? I do , so now I am starting to be more than a little concerned about the ability of the Secret Service officers to investigate an event scene after reading this , " The Secret Service now suspects that a bullet fired in this incident MAY have hit the White House after a bullet round was found in a White House window--though the round had not yet been conclusively linked to the incident. And then the video showed an officer holding what appeared to be a pump action shot gun as if it were the weapon in question after they had stated it was an assault style rifle and empty shell casings. I am so glad we can believe EVERYTHING the media utters so that we don't need to rely on our lying eyes and confused minds.
    • Cordell  •  Gillette, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Dont panic people, they were just test firing a (fast & furious) gun before they sent it to the cartels in mexico.
    • Iben Pharteen  •  Fair Oaks, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Um, That is a pump action shotgun in the video, not an "assault style weapon".
    • casey  •  Warren, United States  •  6 mths ago
      In other news, authorities say local ant-eater could be threat to ants. More to follow as this story develops.
    • Brandon  •  6 mths ago
      Why do they always call them mentally ill?? So now anyone who makes poor decisions is "mentally ill." Give me a break. There's a BIG difference between mentally ill people and stupid criminals.
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