Authorities release photo of Frederick gunman

Mary Grace Keller, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Apr. 7—Authorities have released a photo of the Frederick man — a Fort Detrick Navy medic — who police say shot two fellow sailors in a Frederick business park Tuesday morning before he breached a gate at Fort Detrick and was fatally shot.

Wednesday's statement was jointly released by the Frederick Police Department, Fort Detrick and the FBI Baltimore office.

Fantahun Girma Woldesenbet, a 38-year-old Navy Hospital Corpsman stationed at Fort Detrick, reportedly shot two naval sailors with a rifle in the 8400 block of Progress Drive around 8:20 a.m. The men were working inside a warehouse rented by the Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, used for storage, according to the Frederick Police Department.

The men shot by Woldesenbet were also stationed at Fort Detrick. Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando said they were flown to a shock trauma center in critical condition.

One victim was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Navy said in a tweet. The Navy plans to send a special psychiatric rapid intervention team to provide mental health support to the Fort Detrick community.

Woldesenbet, of the 100 block of Willowdale Drive in Frederick, reportedly drove to Fort Detrick immediately after the shooting.

Fort Detrick commander Brig. Gen. Michael Talley said Tuesday Woldesenbet was briefly stopped by officials at the Nallin Farm Gate, before he quickly drove through. It took about four minutes for the military base's civilian police force to track him down, according to Talley. Woldesenbet reportedly stepped outside his vehicle about a half mile from the gate, displayed a gun and was then shot by the base's civilian police.

Numerous law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are investigating the shooting. Police assured the public in their statement Wednesday that they would release more information as soon as possible.

"Additionally, our agencies know the public and the media want answers regarding this incident and the subsequent investigation. We do as well. Investigations take time," the statement reads.

Any new information would be released via FPD's news alert system. Those interested in the case can sign up for alerts at cityoffrederickmd.gov/alerts.

"...We want to ensure the public we are investigating this incident from all angles and we encourage all residents and media partners to avoid speculation or rumors regarding details of the investigation. Unverified misinformation can prove harmful to the investigation," police said in their statement.

Fort Detrick serves as a military biological defense lab and has several federal civilian biodefense labs. About 10,000 military personnel and civilians work on the base in the city of Frederick.

Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller

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