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Leo Thornton

Case from Washington, DC dated Apr 11, 2015

Victim Details

Leo Thornton

Male

White / Caucasian

Washington

DC

2015-04-11

22

Leo

Thornton

07/05/2026

Case Description

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A quiet Saturday afternoon on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol was disrupted by a sudden act of a 22-year-old male named Leo Thornton. On April 11, 2015, Thornton, who was from Lincolnwood, Illinois, traveled to Washington, D.C., and took his own life by a self-inflicted gunshot. The U.S. Capitol Police immediately responded to the incident, locking down the Capitol Building and the visitor center as a precautionary measure.

Initial reports from the scene were chaotic, with law enforcem ...
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Links to Additional Sources (10)

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  • NBC4 Washington: Man Who Killed Himself at U.S. Capitol Identified
  • NBC News: Lockdown Lifted at U.S. Capitol Building After Shot Fired, Package Found
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    Forum Posts (2)

    Does anyone else find it haunting that this happened during the Cherry Blossom Festival? The contras... ...Read More
    10/22/2024
    I keep thinking about the impact of Leo Thornton's actions on all those unsuspecting tourists who we... ...Read More
    02/04/2023
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