Defense Dept. Identifies Officer Killed in Pentagon Attack

Politics|Defense Department identifies the serviceman killed successful the Pentagon attack.

• Aug. 4, 2021, 1:01 p.m. ET

The Defense Department connected Wednesday identified George Gonzalez arsenic the constabulary serviceman killed successful Tuesday’s attack astatine the Pentagon’s Metro autobus platform. Mr. Gonzalez, 37, was a autochthonal of Brooklyn, N.Y., 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 Mr. Gonzalez was attacked by a antheral with a knife, severely wounding the serviceman instantly aft the antheral exited a autobus astatine the Pentagon Transit Center. The F.B.I. identified the attacker arsenic Austin William Lanz of Acworth, Ga. Mr. Lanz, 27, mortally wounded Mr. Gonzalez and 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.

The Marine Corps said successful a connection connected Wednesday that Mr. Lanz served concisely successful the service, enlisting connected Oct. 9, 2012, but was “administratively separated connected Nov. 2, 2012, and ne'er earned the rubric Marine.”

“Our sincerest condolences are with the household of Officer Gonzalez,” the connection added.

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

The White House property secretary, Jen Psaki, offered condolences to Mr. 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 Army, Mr. 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.

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

Mr. Gonzalez antecedently served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Transportation Security Administration, and the U.S. Army. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for work successful Iraq, the connection said.

Mr. Gonzalez was a postgraduate of New York City’s Canarsie High School.

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