Tributes to 12 gunned down at US navy yard

Tributes today flooded in for the 12 victims of the mass shooting at the Washington DC naval yard as their identities were revealed by police.

Among those shot dead by decorated sailor Aaron Alexis, 34, were a Sunday school teacher, a former police officer and three grandfathers.

Married father of four Martin Bodrog, 54, of Annandale, Virginia, had spent more than two decades in the military and also taught at Sunday school.

Navy veteran Michael Arnold, 59, of Lorton, Virginia, had been stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii before retiring from active service. His uncle Steve Hunter said: “Michael was a loving son and husband and a great father.”

Kathleen Gaarde, 63, worked as a financial analyst. Husband Douglass wrote: “My life partner of 42 years (38 of them married) has been taken from me and from my grown son and daughter and friends. We were just starting to plan our retirement activities and now none of that matters. It hasn’t fully sunk in yet but I know that I already dearly miss her.”

Married father-of-two Frank Kohler, 50, who worked for a defence contractor, had driven from his home in Maryland for a meeting at the naval yard. Ex-boss Bob Allen called him “a great family man, Christian and friend”.

Vishnu Pandit, 61, leaves behind Anjali, his wife for 35 years, two sons and a granddaughter. His family, of North Potomac, Maryland, said he was “a kind and gentle man who loved his family, friends, dog and job”.

Sylvia Frasier, 53, worked as a network security administrator with the Naval Sea Systems Command.

Kenneth Proctor, 46, a civilian utilities foreman at the yard, did not work in the NSSC building where the attacks happened but went there for breakfast. Ex-wife Evelyn said: “We were still very close and talked every day.”

Arthur Daniels, 51, who relocated and installed office furniture at federal government buildings in the region, leaves five children and nine grandchildren. Witnesses said he was shot in the back after he had run to a lift and was frantically pushing the button.

Civilian Navy employee John Johnson, 73, of Derwood, Maryland, was called a “very smart man” by neighbours.