After Shooter's Run-in With NPD, Why Didn't Navy Do More?

Six weeks before Aaron Alexis killed 12 people at a Washington Navy Yard on Monday, he told Newport Police, “some sort of microwave machine” was sending vibrations through the ceiling, penetrating his body so he could not go to sleep. The reports were faxed to the Navy Police, according to the police report.  

Alexis worked as a subcontractor helping to update and replace computers for Navy and Marine Corps installations and worked at the Navy Yard for several days before the shooting, according to the Washington Post.   

Alexis’s ability to obtain security clearances, despite a history of troubling and violent behavior, prompted investigations Tuesday into how background checks are conducted.

Lower-level clearances may be good for up to 10 years. Former military employees who become private-sector contractors can also maintain their clearance during that time

What lessons should be learned from this tragedy?  Could the incident had been prevented? How?  Here is what some had to say on the Newport Patch Facebook page.

• Erin Smith Um, not give him clearance?
  
  
• Kim Gaskell Yes, all these soldiers keep coming back from war with issues and the military keeps sweeping it under the rug. The military should be making these men and there health priority.
  
  
• Nancy Downing This man needed help he didn't get it.. someone is to blame... and someone needs to explain that to the thirteen families that lost loved ones.
  
  
• Pam Boyle They should have locked him in a psych ward for evaluation at the least
  
  
• Michelle Moitoza Yes it could have been prevented...they do not give the military people who come back with problems help that they so much need...why? Because the government is always crying broke but they r not broke. Our military deserve everything from benefits to mental health help to housing if need be but they never ever see it.
  
  
• Christina Roepke There is only so much they can do when they are undermanned and lack necessary funds. I am sure much more could have been done. But Unfortunately the Military is one huge bureaucracy.
  
  
• Tom Leary Unfortunately, you can't lock someone up for something like this unless they both want to be and there's a definitive reason to take away their right to freedom. If he said he wanted to go out and kill people, I'm sure things would be different. Most likely, he did not.... You can walk down Broadway any day of the week and see people who are severely mentally ill but (most likely) aren't going to go on a rampage with a shotgun. It's a very difficult problem to even try to get a grip on...