The Defense Department on Wednesday identified George Gonzalez as the police officer killed in Tuesday’s attack at the Pentagon’s Metro bus platform. Mr. Gonzalez, 37, was a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and had been a Pentagon police officer since 2018, according to a statement.
“Officer Gonzalez embodied our values of integrity and service to others,” the statement said. “As we mourn the loss of Officer Gonzalez, our commitment to serve and protect is stronger.”
The F.B.I., which is leading the investigation into the episode, said Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Gonzalez was attacked by a man with a knife, severely wounding the officer immediately after the man exited a bus at the Pentagon Transit Center. The F.B.I. identified the attacker as Austin William Lanz of Acworth, Ga. Mr. Lanz, 27, mortally wounded Mr. Gonzalez and then shot himself with the police officer’s service weapon, the F.B.I. said. Additional police officers “engaged the subject,” the statement said, and Mr. Lanz died at the scene.
A civilian bystander was injured during the attack and later released from a hospital. The F.B.I. said its investigation into the episode was still developing.
Maj. Jim Stenger, a Marine Corps spokesman, said in a statement on Wednesday that Mr. Lanz served briefly in the service, enlisting on Oct. 9, 2012, but was “administratively separated on Nov. 2, 2012, and never earned the title Marine.”
“Our sincerest condolences are with the family of Officer Gonzalez,” Major Stenger added.
The attack at the Pentagon’s Metro bus platform, just outside of one of the Pentagon’s major entrances, happened at approximately 10:37 a.m. Eastern and resulted in the building being locked down for more than an hour.
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, offered condolences to Mr. Gonzalez’s family during a televised briefing Wednesday afternoon.
“His life was one of service,” Ms. Psaki said. “He lost his life protecting those who protect the nation.”
According to a statement from the Army, Mr. Gonzalez served in field artillery on active duty from 2003 to 2005, including an 11-month deployment to Iraq. He remained in the Army Reserve until 2011, and his rank was sergeant at the time he left service, the statement said.
Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth offered condolences on behalf of the service on Wednesday.
Since joining the force, Mr. Gonzalez had been promoted twice and held the rank of senior officer at the time of his death, according to the Defense Department.
Mr. Gonzalez previously served with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Transportation Security Administration, and the U.S. Army. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for service in Iraq, the statement said.
Mr. Gonzalez was a graduate of New York City’s Canarsie High School.
The Pentagon declined to release information about his surviving family members.
