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D.C. shooter visited temple, spent night in Raynham

Aaron Alexis, as shown in an undated handout photo.Reuters

RAYNHAM — The former Navy reservist authorities say killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard visited a Buddhist temple here last month where he talked about noises in his head, a temple official said.

Eang Tan, a board member at the Thai Buddhist temple in Raynham, said Aaron Alexis visited the house of worship on Aug. 18.

Tan told the Taunton Daily Gazette that as soon as temple officials recognized Alexis on television newscasts after Monday’s shooting, they contacted police.

Tan said Alexis addressed temple members in fluent Thai and asked for a place to spend the night. When they asked why he didn’t go to a hotel, Tan says Alexis said couldn’t sleep in a hotel because of the noises in his head.

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Tan said Alexis spent one night in a building the temple leases from the town of Raynham, then left.