Yonathan Melaku Charged In Military Site Shootings

Yonathan Melaku, the Franconia man who caused a suspicious package scare at the Pentagon, has also been charged with a series of shootings at military sites in Northern Virginia.

Melaku has been charged with shooting at the Pentagon, a Marine Corps recruiting sub-station in Chantilly, a Coast Guard recruiting office in Woodbridge, and twice shooting at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Prince William County.

The shootings took place in October and November 2010. No one was injured.

Melaku, a 22-year-old Marine Corps reservist, has been charged with two counts of using and discharging a firearm in a crime of violence and two counts of injuring United States property with a firearm, and causing more than $1,000 in damage.

If Melaku is convicted of all charges, he could receive up to 10 years in prison on each destruction of property charge and between 35 years and life in prison if convicted of using a firearm during a crime.

An affidavit supporting the complaint against Melaku reveals that a June 17 search of his home on Sage Drive in Franconia connected Melaku to the shootings. Investigators found a videotape in a desk in Melaku's bedroom that he filmed himself.

In the video, Melaku allegedly drives by the National Museum of the Marine Corps and fires a handgun.  

"That's the military building," Melaku allegedly says on the tape. "It's going to be attacked."

Melaku repeatedly exclaims "Allahu Akbar" at different portions of the tape. 

The search of Melaku's house also revealed numerous electronic documents related to bomb-making, and a "shopping list" with the necessary ingredients for making an improvised explosive device. Several items on Melaku's list were crossed off.

Melaku came to law enforcement attention on June 17, when he was discovered in Arlington Cemetery after it had closed. Melaku was carrying a backpack that, according to the affidavit, contained spent 9mm shell casings and a notebook with references to al-Qaeda and the phrase "defeat coalition and allies and America."

The backpack also allegedly contained ammonium nitrate, a component for homemade explosives.