Police have arrest warrant in shooting near White House

The U.S. Park Police now have an arrest warrant in connection with shots fired over the weekend near the White House.

The warrant is for 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega, who was originally identified as a person of interest after shots were apparently fired at about 9:30 p.m. Friday in the 1600 block of Constitution Avenue Northwest.

Sgt. David Schlosser says the warrant charges Mr. Ortega with carrying a dangerous weapon, a felony.

Investigators were led to Mr. Ortega shortly after the incident after examining evidence found in a vehicle abandon about seven blocks west of the incident, near the base of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

Authorities say the White House did not appear to have been targeted.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan said witnesses heard shots and saw two vehicles racing west on Constitution Avenue.
He confirmed an AK-47 assault rifle was recovered and that witnesses saw one driver abandon a vehicle, then run across the bridge toward Arlington.

Mr. Ortega is thought to be living in the area and having ties to Idaho. He is described as a white-Hispanic male, about 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

His right hand has a tattoo of three dots, and the word “Ortega” is tattooed on his upper back. The word “Israel” is tattooed on the left side of Mr. Ortega’s neck. And he has tattoos on his chest of rosary beads and hands clasped in prayer.
President Obama was out of town Friday, beginning a nine-day trip to Hawaii and Asia to participate in international summits.

• This story is based in part on wire service reports.

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