FBI Releases More Details About Pentagon Shooting Incident, Confirms Name of Attacker

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The FBI released on Wednesday additional details about the shooting incident outside the Defense Department building, including the exact time of the incident and the attacker's name.

On Tuesday, a Pentagon police officer died after being attacked by an unknown man outside the Pentagon building. The suspect was shot by the police and died at the scene. Later on Tuesday, Pentagon announced that the FBI was leading the investigation into the shooting.

"At approximately 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3, an individual exited a bus at the Pentagon Transit Center in Arlington, VA, and immediately, without provocation, attacked @PFPAOfficial (PFPA) Officer George Gonzalez with a knife, severely wounding him," the FBI tweeted.

Following a struggle, the attacker mortally wounded Officer Gonzalez and then shot himself with the officer’s service weapon.

"The deceased subject has been identified as Austin William Lanz, 27, most recently of Acworth, GA. The #FBI continues to investigate the incident," the agency said.

A civilian bystander, who was also wounded during the incident, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later discharged, the FBI added.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a statement on Tuesday said the investigation is looking into the circumstances of the incident, adding that the probe must proceed unimpeded and without speculation. Austin extended his condolence to the family of the slain officer. Austin also ordered flags to be flown half-mast at the Pentagon.