Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez
has been identified by CBS News as the gunman who fatally shot four Marines and wounded a police officer on Thursday in
shootings at two military recruiting and training centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Abdulazeez, 24, is also dead.
At least two others were injured, including one in critical condition. The officer is in stable condition. The shootings happened at separate military reserve centers on Lee Highway and Amnicola Highway.
Here’s what we know so far:
1. He Was a Naturalized U.S. Citizen Originally From Kuwait
Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez’s mug shot from an April 2015 arrest for driving under the influence. (Hamilton County Jail
via Chattanoogan.com)
NBC News reports that Abdulazeez is a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Kuwait.
Authorities said the gunman lived in the Chattanooga area recently, but
CBS News reports that he was from Phoenix, Arizona.
The Associated Press says he lived in Hixson, Tennessee, which is a few miles from Chattanooga.
CBS News earlier incorrectly reported he was a 41-year-old from Arizona.
He was arrested on April 21, 2015 for driving under the influence in Hamilton County, Tennessee,
according to the Chattanoogan.com.
Police have not yet released a motive for why the gunman targeted the two military facilities and military personnel.
Authorities said he did not work at the military centers. The case is being investigated as possible “domestic terrorism” and the FBI is leading the probe.
2. An ISIS-Affiliated Account Ominously Tweeted ‘#Chattanooga’ Just Before the Shooting Occurred
An
ISIS-related account tweeted “O American dogs soon YOU will see the wonders,” and used #Chattanooga, at 10:34 a.m., just about the same time police say the shooting began,
according to JihadWatch.org.
The account, which remains active, has tweeted out other references to Chattanooga:
The tweet is similar to one sent out moments before two ISIS-inspired gunmen
opened fire outside the “Draw Muhammad” event in Garland, Texas, in May.
3. He Graduated From the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2012
Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez at his college graduation. (Facebook)
Abdulazeez graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2012, according to posts on his mother’s Facebook page and a
resume posted on Indeed.com.
He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. He worked from April 2009 to April 2010 as an intern with the Tennessee Valley Authority. He also had internships at Mohawk Industries and Global Trade Express.
CBS News incorrectly reported that he was an employee of the city of Chattanooga:
Before going to UT-Chattanooga, he attended Red Bank High School in Tennessee.
4. A Witness Said the Gunman Fired From a Mustang Outside a Recruiting Center in a Shopping Mall
A recent photo posted by his sister. (Facebook)
A woman who worked at a restaurant next to the recruiting office on Lee Highway told CNN she saw the shooting.
“I looked out of our window and I seen the guy in his car, a silver Mustang, drop top, a white guy and he had a high-powered rifle and was just firing shots into the Air Force, Navy and Marines office,” Gina Mule
told CNN. “I don’t even know how many shots he fired, but it was a lot. … After he got done opening fire, he pulled out really quick.”
The two military facilities are about eight miles apart. Police say the shooter went to the Amnicola Highway location after opening fire on Lee Highway. The four Marines were killed there and Abdulazeez also died there, but authorities haven’t said if he was fatally shot or killed himself.
5. Police Do Not Believe There Is a Second Shooter
Police believe the gunman acted alone and they are not actively searching for another shooter.
Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com