Senator Kelly Ayotte is asking Navy officials to explain why the gunman in the Washington Navy Yard shooting was given an honorable discharge two years ago.
According to media reports, the Navy had originally pursued a general discharge for Aaron Alexis.
In a lettersent to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus today, Ayotte, a member of the Armed Services Committee, says she is concerned the Navy may have missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy.
Ayotte says had Alexis been given a general discharge, future employers would have been more likely to give his background extra scrutiny.
Alexis was a civilian contractor working in the Navy Yard.
Officials say he killed 12 people on Monday, before being killed in a shootout with police.
