Cops: Shooter Dissed Conservative Group

A man suspected of shooting and wounding a security guard in the lobby of a Christian lobbying group today made a negative reference about the organization's work before opening fire, a law enforcement official said. Police said the man entered the Family Research Council in Washington around 10:45am, began arguing with a security guard, and then shot him in the arm. The suspect was subdued by the guard and others and taken into custody but had not been charged as of this evening. A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Floyd Corkins II, and authorities were interviewing his neighbors in Herndon, Va., near Washington.

Police didn't specify what the suspect said about the FRC before the shooting. Though authorities did not publicly reveal a motive, advocacy groups across the ideological spectrum condemned the violence, with some casting it as a hate crime. "Today's attack is the clearest sign we've seen that labeling pro-marriage groups as `hateful' must end," said the president of the National Organization for Marriage. The FRC strongly opposes gay marriage and abortion, and says it advocates "faith, family and freedom in public policy and public opinion." (More Family Research Council stories.)