Attempted Obama Assassination: Alleged Gunman Thought US President was the Antichrist
The man who allegedly fired a bullet at the White House last Friday thought he was Jesus and that President Barack Obama was the Antichrist, according to court documents.
Reports indicate that Oscar Ortega-Hernandez expressed an extreme dislike as well as an obsession for the President. It is also believed that he may have spent some time among the protesters of the Occupy D.C. movement.
Ortega was arrested in a Pennsylvania hotel on Wednesday and made his first appearance in a Pittsburgh court on Thursday. He was charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama or members of his staff. Ortega could face life in prison.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The 21-year old man was asked if he understood that he would have to return to Washington to face the charges.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Ortega.
Ortega will be detained until a magistrate rules whether he should stay in federal custody until his trial.
Authorities said a driver about a half-mile south of the White House fired the shots last Friday night from a moving car. The car was found abandoned a few blocks away with the assault rifle used to fire the shots that was then traced backed to Ortega.
President Obama was in California when the shooting occurred.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation took Ortega's car Thursday to examine it for further evidence, according to a Fox News report.
Ortega was homeless at the time and is known to have committed minor crimes in three different states. He was reported missing by his family on Oct. 31 and is believed to be mentally ill.
His mother, Maria Hernandez, said it is not possible that her son acted alone.
"Oscar alone would not be able to do any of this," she told the Idaho Falls Post Register. "Maybe if he was guided by someone else or something on the Internet, but I really don't know."
