Stephen T. Johns, a 39-year-old security guard, was described by his boss as an "outstanding colleague who greeted us every day with a smile." Yesterday, in a flash of gunfire, he was dead -- killed in the line of duty, authorities said, by an avowed white supremacist who entered the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum with a rifle.
Details of the shooting remained sketchy last night, but apparently Johns did not have time to react when 88-year-old James W. von Brunn walked into the museum, according to police sources.
(Washington district director of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America Assane) Faye said that during contract negotiations with Wackenhut two years ago, the union pressed for company-issued protective vests. Although Wackenhut seemed open to the idea, vests have not been issued, Faye said.
"I hammered this in our negotiations two years ago because of how sensitive that museum is," he said. "Our guards needed more protection." He said that one of the guards at the museum was "verbally assaulted by one guy walking by, saying anti-Semitic remarks. For that reason, I made that the center of the negotiation."
Authorities said Johns was not wearing a protective vest.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/10/AR2009061003884.html?hpid=topnews:patriot: