After shooting, Seattle police increase security at mosques
Jan 31, 2017, 8:50 AM
Seattle police are stepping up their presence around local mosques in reaction to the deadly shooting in Quebec City.
Hisham Farajallah at the Idris Mosque in Northgate told KIRO 7 he’s grateful for the support.
“There is nothing specific, but it is a precaution,” he said. “The police decided it is serious and we must take it seriously.”
In light of recent events in Quebec City, SPD will have an increased presence/awareness around local mosques to ensure safety of attendees. pic.twitter.com/OHzDKiDLdD
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) January 30, 2017
Six people were killed in the Quebec shooting on Sunday. The dead ranged in age from 39 to 60, according to the Associated Press.
Nineteen other people were wounded in the shooting at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre. Four people are still in the hospital, two in critical condition, the Associated Press reports.
The accused killer — Alexander Bissonette — is a Quebec native.
The attack on the mosque has been characterized as a terrorist attack. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the shooting victims were targeted because of their religion.
After President Trump called Trudeau to express his condolences, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer called the attack “a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant and why the president is taking steps to be proactive, rather than reactive when it comes to our nation’s safety and security.”
In King County, one mosque has been the target of vandals and another in Bellevue was set on fire.
The Seattle Times reports a homeless man was arrested for second-degree arson for the fire that destroyed part of the Islamic Center of Eastside.
At the end of 2016, a sign at a Redmond mosque was vandalized multiple times, even after the Muslim Association of Puget Sound announced security would be heightened.
And in June, after the shooting in an Orlando night club that left 49 people dead, Redmond police received calls making threats to worshipers in Redmond.
Follow @https://twitter.com/mynorthwest
