Defense Dept. Identifies Officer Killed in Pentagon Attack

Politics|The constabulary serviceman killed successful the Pentagon onslaught and his assailant are identified.

• Aug. 4, 2021, 1:01 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department identified George Gonzalez connected Wednesday arsenic the constabulary serviceman killed successful Tuesday’s attack astatine the Pentagon’s Metro autobus platform. Officer Gonzalez, 37, was a autochthonal of Brooklyn and had been a Pentagon constabulary serviceman since 2018, according to a statement.

“Officer Gonzalez embodied our values of integrity and work to others,” the connection said. “As we mourn the nonaccomplishment of Officer Gonzalez, our committedness to service and support is stronger.”

The F.B.I., which is starring the probe into the episode, said Wednesday day that a antheral who had conscionable gotten disconnected a autobus astatine the Pentagon Transit Center attacked Officer Gonzalez with a knife, mortally wounding him.

The F.B.I. identified the attacker arsenic Austin William Lanz of Acworth, Ga. Mr. Lanz, 27, past changeable himself with the constabulary officer’s work weapon, the F.B.I. said. Additional constabulary officers “engaged the subject,” the connection said, and Mr. Lanz died astatine the scene.

A civilian bystander was injured during the onslaught and aboriginal released from a hospital. The F.B.I. said its probe into the occurrence was inactive developing.

Maj. Jim Stenger, a Marine Corps spokesman, said successful a connection connected Wednesday that Mr. Lanz served concisely successful the service, enlisting connected Oct. 9, 2012. But, Major Stenger said, helium was “administratively separated connected Nov. 2, 2012, and ne'er earned the rubric Marine.”

The onslaught astatine the Metro autobus platform, conscionable extracurricular 1 of the Pentagon’s large entrances, happened astir 10:37 a.m. and resulted successful the gathering being locked down for much than an hour.

The White House property secretary, Jen Psaki, offered condolences to Officer Gonzalez’s household during a televised briefing Wednesday afternoon.

“His beingness was 1 of service,” Ms. Psaki said. “He mislaid his beingness protecting those who support the nation.”

According to a connection from the U.S. Army, Officer Gonzalez served successful tract artillery connected progressive work from 2003 to 2005, including an 11-month deployment to Iraq. He remained successful the Army Reserve until 2011, and his fertile was sergeant astatine the clip helium near service, the connection said.

He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for work successful Iraq.

Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth offered condolences connected behalf of the work connected Wednesday.

Since joining the force, Officer Gonzalez had been promoted doubly and held the fertile of elder serviceman astatine the clip of his death, according to the Defense Department.

Officer Gonzalez had besides antecedently served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Transportation Security Administration. He was a postgraduate of Canarsie High School successful New York City.

The Pentagon declined to merchandise accusation astir his surviving household members.