Gunman Who Shot FRC Guard Pleads Guilty to Terrorism
A gunman who wounded a guard at a conservative Washington lobbying group’s offices last year pleaded guilty to terrorism and other charges on Wednesday, admitting to a bizarre plan to kill people there and rub sandwiches in their faces because the group opposed gay marriage, authorities said.
Floyd Corkins II, 28, of Herndon, Virginia, told investigators he sought to kill as many people as possible at the Family Research Center offices and then shove sandwiches from the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain into their faces, the Justice Department said in a statement.
The 1,600-store Chick-fil-A chain made headlines in July after its president, Dan Cathy, said he opposed same-sex marriage.
Corkins’ planned assault on the downtown Washington offices was thwarted by a security guard who subdued him despite being shot in the arm.
Corkins, a former volunteer at a Washington gay community center, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington to committing an act of terrorism while armed as well as assault and weapons-transportation charges, the statement said.
His conviction is the first under a local 2002 anti-terrorism law.
A statement of offense signed by Corkins and prosecutors said that Corkins targeted the Family Research Council because of its views, including its stance against gay marriage.
Corkins shot the guard with a 9 mm handgun he pulled from a backpack that also held 50 rounds of ammunition and 15 wrapped sandwiches from Chick-fil-A.
Sentencing is set for April 29. The terrorism and assault charges each carry maximum sentences of 30 years and the weapons-related charge has a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Cynthia Johnston, Gary Hill
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