Bio

James Wenneker Von Brunn was born on July 11, 1920, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was the first of two children in his family, with a younger sister named Alice. His father, Elmer von Brunn, was originally from Houston, Texas. He worked as a superintendent at the Scullin Steel Mill during World War II. His mother, Hope Wenneker, was a talented pianist and piano teacher, who also managed the home. The family spent summers in Piasa Township, Illinois, and often took road trips to Houston when James was a child.

From a young age, Von Brunn showed artistic talent. He was recognized by teachers and family for his abilities, and for his seventh birthday, he asked for an oil paint set. His early dream was to become a famous painter. In August 1938, he enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism in April 1943. While in college, Von Brunn was the president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and played varsity football.

After completing his degree, he served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1957. During World War II, he was the commanding officer of PT boat 159 in the Pacific Theatre and received a commendation along with three battle stars for his service. Following his naval career, he worked for twenty years as an advertising executive and producer in New York City. In the late 1960s, he moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where he continued in advertising and began painting again.

Von Brunn had a history of arrests dating back to the mid-1960s. In 1966, he was arrested for driving under the influence after a fight at a local restaurant. Two years later, he received a six-month jail sentence for an altercation with a sheriff at the county jail. In 1981, he attempted to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board, which led to his arrest for armed attempted kidnapping and other charges. He was convicted in 1983 and served six and a half years in prison before being released in 1989. After his release, he briefly became a member of Mensa International, a high-IQ society, but his membership ended when he failed to pay dues.

In his later years, Von Brunn lived in Maryland and became more involved in white supremacist groups. By 2004, he had been living in Hayden Lake, Idaho, a known location for neo-Nazi organizations. He was an outspoken Holocaust denier and held anti-Semitic beliefs, which he expressed in various writings and an antisemitic website he created. Von Brunn's later life was marked by his persistent extremist views that resulted in significant conflict with the law and society.

Murder Story

On June 10, 2009, James Wenneker von Brunn entered the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., carrying a .22-caliber rifle. At about 12:49 p.m., he approached the entrance where Museum Special Police Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns was stationed. Von Brunn raised his rifle and shot Johns in the upper chest. Johns later died from his injuries at George Washington University Hospital.

Two other security officers, Harry Weeks and Jason McCuiston, were also present. They quickly returned fire, hitting von Brunn and wounding him in the face. The shooting caused chaos inside the museum, which was crowded with visitors, including schoolchildren.

Law enforcement arrived shortly after the shooting. The D.C. Metropolitan Police, the United States Park Police, and the FBI Terrorism Task Force surrounded the museum. Nearby buildings were closed as a precaution. Von Brunn's car was found double-parked outside the museum, and officers discovered a notebook inside containing his anti-Semitic beliefs and a list of locations in Washington, D.C.

After the shooting, von Brunn was charged with first-degree murder and firearms violations. He pled not guilty to the charges. On July 29, 2009, he was indicted on seven counts, which included charges that made him eligible for the death penalty. A judge later ordered a competency evaluation to determine if he could stand trial.

While awaiting trial, von Brunn fell ill and died on January 6, 2010, in a hospital near the prison where he was being held. His death was attributed to natural causes, not due to the injuries he suffered from the security guards' return fire.