‘The Creepiest Unsettling Looks’: Neighbours of Pentagon Attacker Said He Was Targeting Them

Earlier this week, 27-year-old Austin Lanz, armed with a knife, attacked several people outside the Pentagon. The offender was deadly shot on site by law enforcement, one police officer later died of his injuries.

The attacker Austin Lanz, who lived in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, behaved very strangely with his neighbours, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. Phillip Brent and Eliza Wells, who lived near Lanz, told the newspaper, that he had been stalking them and leaving mysterious messages.

Once Lanz attached a large poster to the couple’s door, and sometime later left a bottle of juice and a cigarette near the door. The neighbours called the police, but they were only recommended to buy CCTV cameras.

“We had to drive by his house often. We were going by on walks. Every time we passed by he was outside smoking a cigarette or would be standing there and would give us the creepiest unsettling looks […] and wave at us.”

In April, Lanz even broke into their house. He didn’t steal anything and didn’t harm anyone, but was still arrested. The police brought additional charges against Lanz for insulting police officers, nevertheless, he was later released.

The attack took place on 3 August at about 10.40 am when Lanz stabbed 37-year-old Pentagon security guard George Gonzalez, who later succumbed to his injuries. One passer-by also sustained minor injuries and was released from hospital shortly after the incident.