WASHINGTON — The Washington Metropolitan Police Department is shoring up its arsenal following last year’s shooting at the Washington Navy Yard.
Gunman Aaron Alexis went on a shooting spree inside Building 197 last September, killing 12 victims before he was shot and killed.
D.C. police have since purchased 230 brand new rifles for patrol officers, according to a report from Fox5.
“This incident taught us a lot,” Police Chief Cathy Lanier tells Fox5. “We have recreated all our training and equipment and everything based on what we’ve learned from the Navy Yard.”
When D.C. patrol officers responded to the shooting, they were armed with older, long and unwieldy rifles and they struggled to maneuver through narrow hallways, doors and cubicles.
Fox5 reports the new rifles will be easier to handle during such a situation.
The new weapons have a shorter barrel and a collapsible stock so officers can adjust their size.
Watch Fox5’s report:
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