US officials probe possible IS link to Chattanooga shooting

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee — US authorities were investigating on Thursday whether a fatal shooting attack at two military facilities in Tennessee, in which four US Marines were killed, was linked to the Islamic State or a similar jihadist group.

According to Reuters, US officials said law enforcement authorities were looking into that possibility. However, US Attorney Bill Killian called the attack an “act of domestic terrorism.”

President Barack Obama said the murders appear to have been perpetrated by “a lone gunman.”

The shooter, who was killed following the attack, was identified by the FBI as Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old Kuwaiti native. It was still unclear whether he was also a US citizen.

Within hours of the shootings, law enforcement officers with guns drawn swarmed what was believed to be Abdulazeez’s house, and two females were led away in handcuffs.

The attacks took places minutes apart, with the gunman stopping his car and opening fire first at a military recruiting center, then apparently driving to a nearby Navy-Marine training center.

The Marine Corps said four Marines were killed, and a fifth Marine was wounded in the leg. A police officer was shot in the ankle, said Mayor Andy Berke.

“Today was a nightmare for the city of Chattanooga,” he added.

In Washington, Obama said Thursday’s “heartbreaking” shootings appeared to be the work of a lone gunman.

“We don’t know yet all the details, we know that what appears to be a lone gunman carried out these attacks. We have identified a name,” Obama said after a briefing from FBI director James Comey.

“It is a heartbreaking circumstance for these individuals who have served our country with great valor to be killed in this fashion,” he added, flanked by his top anti-terror adviser, chief of staff and Comey.

Obama said the families were still in the process of being contacted.

“I ask all Americans to pray for the families who are grief-stricken at this point and I want everyone to understand that we will be thorough and prompt in figuring out exactly what happened.”

Obama said the FBI would lead the investigation and that the Department of Defense was making sure “all our defense facilities are properly attended and vigilant.”

Authorities gave no details on how the gunman was killed. The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge Ed Reinhold said he had “numerous weapons,” but would not give details.

“Lives have been lost from some faithful people who have been serving our country, and I think I join all Tennesseans in being both sickened and saddened by this,” Gov. Bill Haslam said.

Sgt. 1st Class Robert Dodge, who leads US Army recruiting at the recruiting center, estimated there were 30-50 shots fired. He and his comrades got on the ground and barricaded themselves in a safe place.

Law enforcement officials told recruiters that the shooter, who was in a car, stopped in front of the facility, shot at the building and drove off, said Brian Lepley, a spokesman with the US Army Recruiting Command.

Within minutes, the shooter then opened fire at the Navy Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center Chattanooga.

Marilyn Hutcheson, who works across the street, said she heard a barrage of gunfire.

“I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many,” she said. “It was rapid fire, like ‘pow pow pow pow pow,’ so quickly. The next thing I knew, there were police cars coming from every direction.”

She ran inside, where she remained locked down with other employees and a customer. The gunfire continued with occasional bursts, she estimated, for 20 minutes.

“If it was a grievance or terroristic [sic] related, we just don’t know,” she said.