Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Chattanooga shootings: Four Marines killed at Tennessee US Navy centres

by Kathy DiNuzzo and Biodun Iginla, BBC News

13 minutes ago


Four US Marines have been killed in shootings at two US Navy buildings in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The district lawyer said the two incidents were being investigated as an "act of domestic terrorism".
Shots were fired at a US Navy reserve centre and at a recruitment office about seven miles (10 km) away.
Chattanooga city police said it was the same gunman at both locations and confirmed that the "active shooter" had been killed.
An official identified the gunman as 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, according to the AP news agency.
He is believed to have been born in Kuwait, but it is unclear whether he was a US or Kuwaiti citizen. He is associated with an address a few miles outside Chattanooga.
FBI agent Ed Reinhold, who is leading the investigation, said the first shooting occurred at about 10:45 local time (14:45 GMT) at the recruitment centre in the east of the city.
After opening fire on the building, the gunman then fled the scene in a Ford Mustang and was pursued by Chattanooga police, Mr Reinhold told reporters.
The gunman was eventually killed by police near the US Navy reserve centre on Amnicola Highway, about a five minute drive away.

'Horrific incident'

The US Marines confirmed in a statement that there were "four Marine fatalities" at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Centre in Chattanooga.
They said one Marine Corps recruiter was wounded but was later released from hospital. Two other people are believed to have been treated for injuries.
Photographs from the US Navy recruitment centre showed bullet holes in the windows
"This is a sad day for the United States. These service members served their country with pride, and they have been the victims of these shootings," Bill Kilden, the federal prosecutor for eastern Tennessee, said.
"We are investigating this as an act of domestic terrorism," he told reporters.
City Mayor Andy Berke tweeted: "Horrific incident in our community... Prayers to all those affected."
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the gunman firing from inside a car outside the recruitment centre.
Gina Mule, who works at a local restaurant, told CNN she heard "really loud noises" and saw a man with a "high-powered rifle".
"A lot of shots were fired," she added.
A statement from the White House said President Barack Obama has been briefed on the incident.
 
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