Virginia Man Charged With Terrorism Offense Over Family Research Council Shooting

By Newsroom America Staff at 25 Oct 2012

(Newsroom America) -- A federal grand jury has charged Floyd Lee Corkins, II, with several new offenses, including a District of Columbia charge of committing an act of terrorism, in the shooting last summer of a security guard at the Family Research Council.

Corkins, 28, of Herndon, Virginia, has been in custody since his arrest soon after the August 15, 2012 shooting. He initially was indicted a week later, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, for the federal offense of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, along with the District of Columbia offenses of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

He has pleaded not guilty in the case.

The superseding indictment incorporates the three previously filed charges and adds seven District of Columbia offenses, including one count each of committing an act of terrorism while armed, attempted murder while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and second-degree burglary while armed; and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

This marks the first time that a defendant has been charged with committing an act of terrorism under the District of Columbia’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002.

The law's definitions of terrorism include an act or actions committed with the intent to "intimidate or coerce a significant portion of the civilian population of the District of Columbia or the United States." The charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

According to the government’s evidence, on August 15, 2012, at about 10:45 a.m., the defendant entered the office of the Family Research Council, at 801 G Street NW, and encountered an unarmed security guard. The defendant retrieved a firearm from his backpack, pointed it at the security guard, and opened fire, striking the guard in the arm.

After being wounded, the security guard wrestled the firearm away from the defendant and subdued him.