Gunman in FRC Shooting Indicted, Due in Court Friday
Floyd Corkins was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury with charges including interstate transportation of a firearm and assault with intent to kill.
The 28-year-old Virginia man had shot an employee at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of Family Research Council, a conservative group, last Wednesday. Corkins was armed with a 9mm gun and was allegedly carrying extra ammunition but was subdued by the injured employee in the lobby area.
According to The Associated Press, Corkins' parents told investigators that he supported gay rights and he said before the shooting that he disagreed with FRC's politics.
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Corkins was a volunteer for the U Street NW community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
FRC champions traditional marriage, the dignity of human life, and religious freedom.
"FRC shapes public debate and formulates public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family," the conservative group says on its website. "Believing that God is the author of life, liberty, and the family, FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society."
The shooting has prompted the conservative organization to enhance security. But they announced that they will continue to do their work unhindered. "What we will not do is allow the threats and actions of those who oppose us to intimidate or silence us," said FRC President Tony Perkins.
"I want you to know that these increased obstacles and challenges do not change our calling or our mission," he said in a statement. "You can continue to count on the FRC team to credibly represent you and the millions of other Americans who share our concerns for the family and for our country."
Corkins, who attended a small, conservative Christian high school, is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a preliminary hearing.
Corkins' public defender, David Bos, told AP that a hate crime charge is unlikely.
Federal authorities also confirmed to AP that Corkins was carrying a note with contact information of the Traditional Values Coalition, a Christian lobbying group that focuses on religious liberties, marriage, and the right to life, among other things.
