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A Virginia man accused of shooting a security guard inside the headquarters of a conservative Christian lobbying group has been charged with committing an act of terrorism.
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Federal prosecutors announced a series of new charges Wednesday against Floyd Lee Corkins II, who was arrested two months ago and accused of opening fire inside the Family Research Council building.
Prosecutors say it's the first time they've charged someone with committing an act of terrorism under the District of Columbia's Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002.
The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years in prison.
Prosecutors say that before opening fire, Corkins told the guard, Leo Johnson, that he didn't like the organization's politics. Johnson survived the shooting and helped wrestle away the gun.
Corkins, 28, worked as a volunteer for a pro-homosexual group in the D.C. area. The attack occured around the time that the Christian-run restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A , was making news after the company's leader stated he supported marriage only between a man and a woman.
When Corkins was arrested, a number of Chick-fil-A sandwiches -- along with a box of ammunition -- were found in his backpack. It was speculated that he planned to go to the various offices at the FRC headquarters, shoot people, and then leave a Chick-fil-A sandwich as some kind of calling card.
SOURCE: The Associated Press
