White House Suspect a "Textbook Case" of Schizophrenia

UPDATE: The New York Times on Sunday had a lengthy look at Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, the Idaho man who allegedly attempted to assassinate President Obama by firing a gun at the White House earlier this month.

Two things jump out:

1) Ortega is, in the words of one psychiatrist the paper spoke to, a "textbook case" of schizophrenia. ("I can guarantee you that in his mind, it all makes perfect sense," said Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, of the Treatment Advocacy Center. "If he’s Christ, Obama’s the Antichrist.")

2) Ortega took part in, and won, a mixed martial arts bout this past summer ("For the first time anyone could remember, he was an undisputed winner," the Times write.)

There's plenty more interesting nuggets in the profile, which you can read here.

Friday, Nov 18: Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, the Idaho man charged with trying to assassinate President Obama (or a member of his staff), claims that he is the second coming of Jesus Christ.

"It's not just a coincidence that I look like Jesus," he says in a 20-minute video obtained by CBS affiliate KBOI. "I am the modern day Jesus Christ that you all have been waiting for."

The video, apparently filmed by a fellow student at Idaho State University (who has been subpoenaed to testify in front of a grand jury in D.C.), includes a variety of ramblings from Ortega. At one point he talks about Nostradamus and receiving a "message through time."

Gawker runs us through a few of the other highlights: "Ortega-Hernandez gives style props to Madonna circa 1984; claims that his deceased grandfather is his guardian angel; and talks about drugs, Zion and the Discovery Channel's Shark Week. He also says sex is 'for fun,' and that marijuana was created 'to inspire.' If we all just smoked pot and stopped drinking beer, we'd become 'hungry for knowledge' and invent stuff to fill "all these empty shipping vessels.'"

Here's the video:

Thursday, Nov. 17 at 2:32 p.m. CNN reports that Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president or a member of his staff.

The max sentence for that crime is life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Associated Press with what comes next: "Ortega will remain in federal custody at least until a magistrate in Washington can determine if he should remain jailed until his trial on the charge."

Thursday, Nov. 17 at 9:52 a.m. Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, the 21-year-old who allegedly fired the shot that hit the White House last week, "hates" President Obama and pretty much everything else, a law enforcement official tells the Washington Post.

"[He] hates the president, he hates Washington, he hates society," the source told the paper.

During their search for Ortega-Hernandez, police initially searched the Occupy DC encampment, but found no connection between him and the group, according to three officials who spoke to the paper.

The Post with more: "Ortega-Hernandez, whose permanent place of residence is unclear, has a record of arrests on minor counts in Texas, Utah and Idaho, authorities said. They said they have not linked him to any radical organizations."

Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 2:25 p.m. The Secret Service says the man suspected of firing a bullet at the White House last week was arrested in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

Here's the statement from Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan (via USA Today): "On Wednesday afternoon at approximately 12:35 p.m. EST, based on information generated by Secret Service agents from the Pittsburgh Field Office, Pennsylvania State Police Troop A located and arrested Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Herndandez at a hotel near Indiana, Pennsylvania."

The supsect's name has been reported a number of ways: Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Herndandez, Oscar Ortega-Hernandez and Oscar Ramiro Ortega.

Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 10:03 a.m.: A bullet hit one of the White House’s exterior windows and was stopped by ballistic glass, the Secret Service said late Tuesday.

The Associated Press reports that the bullet and an additional round of ammunition near the White House’s exterior were found Tuesday. The discovery follows reports of gunfire near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Friday. While the Secret Service says that it has not conclusively linked the two incidents, authorities appear to believe the two are likely connected.

U.S Park Police have issued an arrest warrant for Oscar Ortega-Hernandez in connection with the Friday incident, during which witnesses heard shots and reported seeing two speeding vehicles in the area. Sources tell ABC News that the suspect (listed as Oscar Ramiro Ortega by ABC) has an extensive police record, including domestic violence and drug charges, and that a police investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting that he is mentally ill and has, in the words of the news network, "a fixation on the White House."

The arrest warrant was issued for Ortega-Hernandez after authorities found a vehicle nearby containing an AK-47. He is described as a "21-year old, Hispanic male, 5'11", 160 pounds, with a medium build, brown eyes and black hair."

Politico notes that neither President Obama nor Michelle Obama were in Washington, D.C., at the time.