The security guard shot Wednesday morning in the lobby of the socially conservative Family Research Council is recovering after coming out of surgery shortly before midnight.
The injured FRC security guard, Leo Johnson, has been credited with ending the shooting by a lone gunman and was hailed as a hero by law enforcement for his efforts.
According to FRC President Tony Perkins, Johnson’s surgery went well.
“I was at the hospital last night when he came out of surgery shortly before midnight. The surgery went well,” Perkins said in a statement.
When Perkins commended Johnson for his actions, Johnson humbly responded that he acted how anyone else at the organization would have.
“When I told him his actions were heroic in protecting his colleagues, he told me that he just reacted in the way he thought anyone at FRC would have responded,” Perkins added. “We are very grateful for the outpouring of prayers from literally around the world.”
The Wednesday morning shooting was allegedly committed by Floyd Lee Corkins II of Herndon, Va. Reports have indicated that during the incident he voiced disagreement with the FRC’s beliefs, had Chick-fil-A sandwiches and additional ammo in his bookbag.
Chick-fil-A’s charity, the WinShape Foundation, has donated money to the FRC, which opposes gay marriage. The fast food chain’s president, Dan Cathy, recently came under fire for denouncing same-sex marriage.
The Associated Press reports that Corkins was a volunteer at a local D.C. LGBT community center.
According to Talking Points Memo, Corkins’ parents told the FBI that the alleged gunman “has strong opinions with respect to those he believes do not treat homosexuals in a fair manner.”
Corkins is expected in court Thursday.