Census Bureau security guard dead after shooting at headquarters

By BRIAN WITTE and JESSICA GRESKO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man kidnapped a woman, fatally shot a Census Bureau guard and led police on a car chase through Maryland and Washington, before authorities cornered him in an exchange of gunfire that left the suspect and a police officer wounded, authorities said.

The guard, identified as Lawrence Buckner, died at a Prince George’s Hospital Center after Thursday evening’s chase and shooting, said Erika Murray, a spokeswoman for the hospital in Cheverly, Maryland. She did not give Buckner’s age.

Police said in a news release that the woman who was allegedly kidnapped was found safe.

The Census Bureau headquarters at Suitland Federal Center opened two hours late Friday morning, and workers were allowed to take unscheduled leave or to telework. Workers who had to shelter in place after the shooting Thursday night were granted excused absences.

The shooting was not terrorism-related, FBI Baltimore spokeswoman Amy J. Thoreson told The Associated Press in an email.

“We believe this was domestic related,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.

Gina Ford, a spokeswoman with the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, on Friday identified the shooter as Ronald Anderson. Court records show that Anderson’s 48th birthday was Thursday.

The officer and suspect were both conscious when they were taken for medical care, Lanier said at a news conference Thursday night. There was no immediate update early Friday on their condition and identities were not immediately made public.

Lanier said events began after Buckner saw two people fighting in a car matching a description of a vehicle from a report of an armed kidnapping six miles away in northeast Washington.

When Buckner approached the car, the man shot him and took off, crossing the border into the nation’s capital and firing at D.C. police who had begun to chase him, Lanier said.

He fired again at them during the chase before police blocked him and collided with his car, Lanier said. Cornered, the suspect opened fire again and police shot back. During the exchange of gunfire, both the suspect and an officer were wounded, she said.

“We have every reason to believe that the car we have … is the same car involved” in the kidnapping, the shooting at the Census Bureau, and the shooting at police, Lanier said.

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