WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury handed down a 17-count indictment Tuesday against a man for allegedly trying to assassinate President Barack Obama at the White House.
Authorities said that on Nov. 11, Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez used an assault rifle with an attached scope to fire shots at the White House from his vehicle. Two bullets and one bullet fragment were recovered from the grounds of White House, including one that was stopped by bulletproof glass. Investigators found five bullet impact points on the south side of the building on or above the second story, where the first family resides.
Read the original story on NBCWashington.com
Obama and his wife, Michelle, were out of town that evening.
Besides being charged with one count of attempt to assassinate the president, Ortega-Hernandez was also charged with three counts of assaulting an officer or employee of the U.S. with a deadly weapon, another count of injury to property of the United States, five counts of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and one count of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition.
Click here to read the full indictment
Friends and associates told investigators that Ortega-Hernandez -- a 21-year-old Idaho Falls, Idaho native -- has long been obsessed with Obama and referred to the president as the Antichrist, according to the Associated Press. Ortega, who has shoulder-length dark hair and a long beard, called himself “the modern-day Jesus Christ” and told at least one person he intended to kill the president, authorities allege, the AP reported.
He was arrested on Nov. 16 at a hotel in Indiana, Pa., where he had stayed with friends before the shooting, the AP reported.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News


That's crazy. Everybody knows the antichrist is secretary of the navy right now. Mabus, right? :)
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=505
This nutcase, Ortega-Hernandez, will never see the light of day again.
.
Carl Rove, how can you turn those letters into Mabus ?
This dude needs to be in the hospital, not in jail. I don't care for Obama but I want to get Obama replaced, not killed. This dude, he's just crazy. It's too bad he didn't get any help before this.
I don't care what you call the facility he will be confined to but LOCK HIM UP.
These Nut Cases keep showing up and we will have to deal with each and every one on an indivual basis. This type person is found all over the World so we don't have a lock on nut cases.
Typical Bachmann, Perry, & Santorum voter, no doubt.
Actually, previous accounts had him attending OWS protests in DC. Seems he was a brick or two shy of a load, but then, looking at the fellow who killed all the people in Sweden, perhaps we should count ourselves fortunate that he was less than equipped, both mentally as well as with weaponry.
actually the antichrist is a 70 year old woman from california named pelosi
Another religious freak... a conservative Christin freak. A theologist? can't wait to see his manifesto!
Superstitious nut cases. [shaking head]
The antiChrist? Obama isn't smart enough to be the antiChrist. This potato eater from Idaho has got to be certifiably crazy. I hope they lock him up and throw away the key.
So Paleo, I guess that rules you out too.
Jews are the antichrist, do your homework!
But their so funny on Comedy Central ?
Like this is really an assassination attempt. The Capitol Police and the DA are really stretching the interpretation with this one, just to try and get obama some sympathetic headlines.
Well proudAmerican I don't know what you call shooting at the whitehouse with a scoped rifle. But it does sound like attempted murder to me.
So you know, an assassination attempt doesn't have to be well thought out just done. Kind of like your statement no thought but just out there.
His friends agreed. Just because you don't like Obama does not mean this should not be taken seriously.
Proud. I bet your mother is proud. have you done the dishes yet ? How may bullet holes did they say were in the 2nd floor. The floor I believe the President of the United States resides in. The young man will spend the next 30 40 years behind bars for his foolishness. Why don't you go and try to generate some sympathetic headlines. I am sure there are three hots and a cot waiting for you.
proudamericanveteran
Oh, yeah, right... and you have so much to be proud of!
You're Ridiculous to think that taking a shot at anyone is justifiable and that this is a ploy to get him sympathy...pathetic...
Sorry to get the looney left upset. Fact is, when the report first came through the White House was not the target. Then they found a chipped rock outside the building.. now according to some of the posters here .. the Oval Office was riddled with bullets. Somehow this rifle suddenly had a scope on it too?
Even a first year lawyer like obama could get this guy off of these charges.
LOL conservatives.
For proudamericanveteran:
I guess you forgot to READ the article prior to commenting on it. LOL
umm yes it would make sense to make sure your target is home or where you plan to harm them. but lets never mind the obvious, Nobama was off gone for 3 already, when this happend. obviously needs a padded room.
Come on. Proud ain't no veteran. The military wouldn't tolerate him/her.
Shove a sock in it, you gaseous imbecile.
Maybe you should be his lawyer. With your brilliant legal opinion you could probably get him the death penalty.
ProudAmericanveteran says just and attempt to try and get obama some sympathetic headlines.
Wow. Usually human beings empathize with the pain of others, somewhere it seems like you've lost a piece of yourself that allows yourself to feel the pain of others-- unlike yourself. As a vet, it is sad that you can't stand in his shoes and understand the serious nature of it, as you would want for yourself.
Religious extremist will be the death of us all.
Wow, this guy needs some help....
Wouldn't do any good. Someone that far gone is beyond help.
CM-6969 you say-- " Someone that far gone is beyond help."
Maybe for some people but there are others that can see with different eyes.
Will Palin do another Blood Libel allocution that she's innocent ?
Revolution: The majority of American citizens.
Treason: The actions of one or a few.
Humm.... maybe that will clarify it to those who would dare to try.
True, next time just get a much larger group. All the US veterans would be a good start. When enlisting we took an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, and Obama has certainly proven himself to be an enemy of the Constitution. Passing the NDAA, assasinating a US citizen without due process, just to name two examples that prove his unConstitutional stance.
You, sir, are a nut case and your rantings should be disregarded.
Hey Fed Up,
According to your logic, we should have taken Bush out when his approval hit 28%. Obama is in the high 40s. That's more of a civil war, if you ask me.
Dave: Don't be a doughnut! I am not a fan of Obama or any political puppet..... I hate all of the oligarchy residing in our Three Branches of money grubbers.
@Prohibition doesn't work Uh just to clarify the oath I took that you sir must have forgotten or decided to omit.
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
It's not open for discussion...
Prohibition doesn't understand the meaning of "oaths." He certainly doesn't understand the way the government works--the President doesn't pass laws; Congress does. The President either assents or vetoes. Obama issued a signing statement with the Defense Authorization Act in which he stated he would not utilize the objectionable section of the law. Regarding the chap in Yemen, he was making war on the US. You get taken out for doing that and I'm not losing sleep over that at all.
Our oath was to defend the Constitution first, the President DOES NOT trump the Constitution, period.
And like it or not, the guy in Yemen was still an American citizen, first and foremost, and therefore had the right to due process, as do all American citizens. The President declared himself above the Constitution, therefore, he has also declared himself an enemy of the Constitution.
proud- Are you serious? Do you know how many death threats he receives. Do you like Beck see a conspiracy, around every corner? And with all this hyperbolic terms, that the GOP/baggers use. "We need to take back America" Obama is out to destroy America" If I'm elected we will get Americas soul back... and on and on and on and on and on... In all my years I have never heard, such disrespect to a sitting President! Welcome to the club!...
"In all my years I have never heard, such disrespect to a sitting President!"
Then you must have slept through both of Bush II's terms in office. Seriously.
hummbird: where were you during the 2 terms of the Bush administration when you and your fellow left wing compatriots did nothing disparage the President of the United States? Ah but he was a republican so in your little minds that is acceptable - hypocrite !!!
Bush did not get nearly the criticism he deserved.....and those who criticized him were called out as traitors.....his citizenship was not called into question.....Obama has been subject to racist threats of violence. I could testify to this in court, as I had to go to the sheriff with the evidence found in my newspaper box. I have never seen or heard anything like this, ever, until Obama was elected.
So, you can stow it Ternan...
Mare P:Save me the sob story about poor persecuted obama - he has had a reee ride in this country his entire life.
Bush was subjected to left wing radical news commentators calling for his death in both the web and on their TV shows with the radical liberal lunatic fringe and the vast majority of the black community cheering these folks on.
So save me your sob story about how you and obama have been so badly persecuted in this country. you do recall you always have an option to leave right?
Free ride? Please elaborate.
@Ternan "the vast majority of the black community cheering these folks on."
Did you live in the black community at the time where you saw this with your own eyes? Of course you don't see persecution, you are part of the band of persecutors.
"Bush did not get nearly the criticism he deserved.....and those who criticized him were called out as traitors.....his citizenship was not called into question.....Obama has been subject to racist threats of violence."
And anyone on EARTH can do a 30 second google image search and find literally thousands of images of placards with guns to Bush's head (in the USA), calls for his death, threats of violence, you name it.
Folks who criticize Obama, instead of being called traitors, are called racists (something the media seems to think is even worse than betraying ones country these days), or bible-hugging gun-toting rednecks, or just plain stupid (i.e. Sullivan's recent Newsweek cover). So YOU can stow it, MareP.
Yashmak,
There's a difference between criticizing the man's policies and calling for harm to come to his children, making racist comments about him, demanding his birth certificate, calling his wife nasty names, etc. Yeah, most of the stuff that's objectionable does seem to come from racists and bible-hugging-gun toting rednecks.
Nobody has a problem with people who write legitimate criticism about his policies. No, Bush's policies did NOT get nearly as much criticism as they deserved. I did not like Bush, but had I been in the military during his tenure, I would have followed orders that came down from the Commander in Chief. That's the difference--we showed respect for Bush--even when we knew he didn't deserve it.
A lie from a biased, gun hating media.
This man did not have a selective-fire assault rifle. He had a semi-automatic rifle.
That said, this fool should be locked up forever in Florence, CO.
Who cares what type of gun he used!
Steven
An assault rifle does not have to be automatic. AR15 and the AK47 are both assault rifles and both available in semi-auto.
Well, now do we have our gun trivia settled? It was still an assassination attempt with a gun.
No they're not, if they're semi-automatic.
Don't know much about firearms, I see.
People who are interested in journalistic integrity and accuracy.
It was an assassination attempt with a semi-automatic rifle, not an assault rifle. Implying that the man had a weapon that is generally unavailable to the public is deceitful.
Uh actually, half-wit, there is no precise definition of assault rifle, but every weapon that's been labelled an assault rifle has a semi-automatic version. You really are a moron.
Sorry Steven, but you're wrong, Pilot is right. I do agree about the sensationalism though, they're not much different than any other rifle, except maybe they are black, scary looking, and make certain people more upset.
Consider yourselves educated.
Good ol' Florence... you make a gal homesick...
That supermax sure was a treat to see when being built... and any idiot wanting to play 18 holes can go stare at it for a while... but dont be taking any pictures...
^^well that settles it. Thanks Miss_Diagnosed.
LOL... sorry DingleB
I didn't get much past the Florence part...
There was indeed such a definition, before the media (and the gun control lobby) got a hold of the term. In fact, if one was too wiki the term even today, you'll find that what this guy used was NOT, in fact, an assault rifle:
We have a process to remove incompetent folks from political office called elections. We in the United States are a violent society but our political process is to remove incompetent @!$%#s like obama through the vote not violence.
So, proudamericanvet, if someone pulls up in front of George Bush, Willard Romney or even Sara Palin's house, and unloads a clip into their bedroom window, is the shooter just having some fun? Would you excuse this behavior if a child had been injured or killed?
Maybe if you loons understood the layout of the White House Grounds you would see the insanity of this charge. You don't pull up in front of the White House.
Go back and read the initial reports. Before this was made into an assassination attempt and you will see the oddity in how the story has changed. First it was shots fired but probably drug related as neither the Capitol Building or White House was hit. The it was a random drive by shooting by rival gangs. Then the White house was hit but undamaged....... and now it was a major terrorist plot to assassinate the President.
and no .. I am not excusing the behavior ... but taking this as a plot to kill obama ????? really
Well, Prooudetc.etc.nutdjob. I think maybe nobody has ever tried to hurt any relative or lovd one of yours, or you douln't be so moronically cynical about this. maybe you would have preferrd that Bill Clinton be murdered, but Bush I and Bush II not so much. You are an example of all that is toxic and wrong with America. I hope we surive you loonies.
I actually agree with proudamericanveteran on his assessment. I remember reading the first couple reports and what he stated is what was printed. But you got to contend that whenever a federal agency is involved with anything, they are going to get it wrong 95% of the time. So for Capital security and the FBI, etc... to keep changing their stories to fit the need doesnt strike me as odd. They are just as worthless as our courts and legislative branches are. Ill leave the executive branch our for now.
And Lil' Debbie is annoying with her comments that in no way, ProudAmericanVeteran, has stated. Did he say that he wished it was BIll Clinton and not the Bushes? No. Go back to your bridge, troll.
Lil' Debbie...i love your double fudge brownies and the donut stix aren't bad either.
Lil'Debbie, I will take your post more seriously when you learn to type/spell. What you said in your statement is the most moronic statement I have read in a very long time. God bless the public school systems.
Supposedly the Antichrist will be a great unifier,that alone leaves Obama off the list.
Actually, that leaves all politicians off the list.
Actually, the great unifier is Hell, when all you haters and thieves and oppressors burn together.
okay, firing a weapon at the White House is now an assassination attempt? When the president wasn't home? Is he a nutwad? Guilty. Did he fire a weapon? Yep. Punishable by law? Yessiree. Assassination attempt when the dude wasn't even home? Not even close.
Marla: Why don't you leave it to the legal beagles... ehh? How would you feel if it were your family? Home or not home is irrelevant.... Attempted nonetheless. Most likely insanity will be the plea....
And you, Maria, have your pathetic political bias showing. Betcha you woldn't be so cavalier if one or your GOP or Tea Party heroes were in Obama's place. Just "dissing" one of your loved ones would be worth the death penalty for you and others of your ilk. So biased, so unfair, so wrong.
Actually, half-wit, it was. The president being home is a necessary condition for a SUCCESSFUL assassination, but not for a (poorly informed) attempt. Were you dropped on your head as a child, half-wit?
Actually, the President's absence doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't an assassination attempt. I'd agree with that. It just means it had exactly zero chance of success.
If a guy, out to kill a certain public official, mistakes another individual for that person and shoots them, it would still be legally considered an assassination attempt.
BAD SHOT
Sounds like a Carl Rove set up. Get this guy to take a few shots at the POTUS and then tell him if he gets caught just say that you're Jesus Christ and that Obama's the anti-christ or satan and you'll end up in a mental institution on drugs for the rest of your life. Probably sounded as good to this guy as the 72 virgin thing to the Islamic suicide bombers. And, if he gets really lucky, he'll shoot the President thereby increasing the possibility of a republican dictator, er, I mean president in the 2012 election.
If you think that a mental institution is a happier place than a prison, you have not spent any time inside either of them, either as an inmate or a worker.
Speaking from experience Shandril?
To: Fed-Up---
Value of comments posted by the majority on the internet: zero
The American Revolution, like all revolutions throughout history, was a band of individuals. It was a rag-tag group of poorly trained villagers, farmers, etc. standing up to the largest standing army at the time - Britain. Those involved in militarily executing the American Revolution were not the majority of citizens within the American Colonies.
Treason is a subjective term applied by the winner of a conflict. Similar to words like patriot or insurgent.
Obama is not to blame for our situation in American and I find the actions of Ortega-Hernandez criminal and he should be executed.
Antonio: No duh! If you were unable to decipher my brief post.... let me clarify. Revolution by the masses that wins......... great. Treason for one or more that loses......bad. Simple enough?
Antonio: Executed for what shooting up a building with no one home? Jail yes, executed? do not be ridiculous we are not some thurd world banana republic
We have become such a nation divided that we seem to no longer have any compassion for those on the opposite side of our fence. Comments like…geez he wasn’t home so how can that justify assassination or it was only a semi-automatic. How sad that for one moment a lot of you seem incapable of stopping the political crap for just a second and seeing the human side of things. I will anxiously wait for some politically motivated or completely heartless response from my comment. I trust I won’t be let down.
where were you when Bush was president? The left assinated his on a daily basis. Dont like the rhetoric now? Tough @!$%#ttttttte
Peg, I agree with you entirely. Yours is one of the few sane comments I've read on this or for that matter, any other story involving Obama, politics, etc. It makes me anxious to think of all the stupid hateful callous ignorance loose with anyone spouting such garbage not even having he grace to be ashamed of it. Hope these commentators are just minorities and I really hope the majority of compassionate fair Americans do vote in 2012 and get rid of the toxic politicians that are hurting out country and have already done damage to it. And I'm referring to those who live on lies and hate.
Alan - thanks so much for not letting me be down!
Lil' Debbie - couldn't agree with you more!
Alan, W's term was assassination-attempt free despite his horrendous actions (started 2 wars, one based on lies, used terrorism to scare people into supporting him, ruined the economy, courted religious extremists, hated the Constitution). The rhetoric against W pales in comparion with the lies told about Obama.
In any case, there's a big difference between rhetoric and actually trying to kill someone. It's the reich wingers who are more likely to talk about "second ammendment solutions" because someone is exercising their first ammendment to disagree with them.
We do recall that the man that attempted to assassination President Reagan, crippled his press secretary and shot two police officers is now home once a month on unsupervised visits to his mother in ,Williamsburg VA. That was a serious assassination attempt not some wacko shooting at the WH from a quarter mile away and some left wing judge has decided attempted assassination of a President is not really that big of a deal.
Lil' Debbie trolls and post according, but usually makes leftist comments. Hmmmm
Let's just say, I find it odd that the assassination attempt would come during a campaign year......?
Why in hell do you find that odd? That's the perfect time for it, depending on which side you happen to be on. I'm surprised someone hasn't alrady taken a potshot at Newt Gingrich for his apostasy attacking the so-called GOIP front-runner and front man for the 1 percenters.
Really, half-wit? Well since it came during 2011, that makes you sort of stupid, doesn't it?
Lil' Debbie there you go spewing your leftist assaults. Just a few statements up you were putting down the people who did this. Guess as long as it is going in the direction you prefer you are fine with it.
Tammy - did you read the article - he did this last November. Looking for a political spin to play with?
Christian terrorist.
It says President Obama and his wife were out of town, where were the girls?
45 deleted, Alan Grobb applauding an assassination attempt on the POTUS. Banned, reported to authorities.
Don't do that, folks.
Tyler: Though I agree with the ban and reporting to the authorities anyone that threatens the life of the President I find it disturbing how no one was ever deleted, banned, reported to the authorities when they were threatening the life of President Bush in the Grapevine. New standards or just not applied if the man happens to be a Republican President????
Alan, I hope someone up there isn't listening to your hateful comment. What is the matter with our country that there is no compassion or fairness for someone who is just another human being, when it comes down to it? I'betcha Mitt Romney's $10,000 that you are a llistener to Fux News and all that lying bunch, taking your comments from the hatefulness that they spew even though they've gotten rid of thenutjob Beck. Worse or almost as badf, are the wilful lies and fantasies spewed forth from these vile people. You are one o fthem. I bet your janitorial salary is a whoipping minimum wage job that you are very grateful for because cleaning floors is about all you are good for. Certainly not thinking.
Obviously a republican christian. They are the only ones filled with so much hate for their fellow man.
Yet the violence of the OWS is something you overlook........
Doesn't Lil Debbie's malicious judging and berating of others make it obvious that she adheres to a form of christianity that we can all get behind....
Preach on girl.....
hardly a Republican Christian way to much left wing rabble rousing punctuate with misinformation and flatout lies. Has to be a liberal democrat trying to impersonate a Christian.
Go and look at Lil' Debbies post, she degrades everyone on everything, but if you watch her switches with the post. Although she loves spewing leftist hatred toward the conservative. I love watching her though, she gives me a good laugh.
I can't stand Mr. Obama's politics personally, but you do not take potshots at the President. For all you guys saying that it wasn't an assassination attempt, just because you don't like him, or the shooter was an idiot, etc. , sorry to disagree with you. The guy who shot Ron Reagan was a few bricks shy of a full load, but he still hit his target. The "assault rifle" terminology, that's just the press sensationalizing it. Personally, like I said, I'm no fan of the president, but if anyone even trys to hit him with a slingshot, it should be taken seriously and they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The haters are sympathetic to this murdering scumbag because they know Obama will never be defeated politically.
deleted
ScommaG- I take your comment as sarcasm because I don't believe anyone could be so ignorant!
got to agree with packinp40 on this one. ScommaG your either pathetically deluded or just in serious denial.