USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Shooting Near Alrahma Mosque In Columbus, Ohio Kills 1, Injures 1
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
One person killed and another injured in shooting near Alrahma Mosque in Columbus. Police say the incident was not an attack on the mosque or those inside.
22 outlets told this the same way.
Columbus Shooting Near Mosque
A shooting near Alrahma Mosque in northeast Columbus, Ohio, left one person dead and another injured on Monday afternoon, with police later clarifying it was not an attack on the mosque. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said agents were responding to a report of a shooting incident at a mosque in the 2200 block of Albert Ave. in Columbus, OH. Columbus police said the incident occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex adjacent to the mosque, and the Columbus Division of Police said it received multiple calls of shots fired shortly after 2 p.m.
Sergeant James Fuqua told reporters, "We want to make it clear this was not an attack on the mosque," and he said the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving people in the residential complex. The Columbus Dispatch reported the shooting occurred during an event and it was not an attack on the mosque, while the area around Albert Avenue near Westerville Road was cordoned off with crime scene tape.
Federal and Local Accounts
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives initially framed the incident as a response to a report of a shooting at a mosque, and an ATF spokesperson said, "This investigation is in its’ infancy." Sergeant James Fokwa told reporters, 'This was not an attack on the mosque,' and he added that several people in a residential complex became involved in a dispute for undisclosed reasons. A CBS News account said the Columbus Division of Police received multiple calls shortly after 2 p.m., and the police statement said the incident was not a targeted attack on the mosque and did not occur at the mosque.
The ATF spokesperson later said initial information indicated mourners leaving Al-Rahma Mosque were fired upon, and the spokesperson added, 'One death has been confirmed.' Al Jazeera reported that local police said the facility was not targeted and quoted Fuqua saying the shooting stemmed from a dispute at an apartment building at the same location as the mosque.
Investigation and Unanswered Details
Authorities continued investigating the circumstances and motives behind the shooting near the mosque, and law enforcement implemented security protocols while evidence collection and examination began. The Columbus Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed its involvement and said more details would be announced as they become available. Local reporting said one person was pronounced dead at 2:19 and authorities located a second victim whose health status was not immediately known after officers responded at 2:10 p.m.
“The ATF did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking further information.”
The Hindustan Times account said identities of the victims were not being released, and it said personnel at the scene were still trying to determine the facts and circumstances that led to the shooting. The AP account said the ATF did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking further information, leaving the case dependent on ongoing police and federal investigation.