Islamic youth community center in Burien damaged in hit and run
Mar 8, 2022, 8:18 AM
The Muslim American Youth Foundation community center in Burien. (Photo courtesy of Ranji Sinha/KIRO 7 TV)
(Photo courtesy of Ranji Sinha/KIRO 7 TV)
A gathering place for Muslim youth in Burien was rammed by a car Monday.
Officials are calling it a hit-and-run incident. No one was hurt.
Witnesses say it happened around 9:15 a.m. Monday when a silver car rammed into the prayer space inside the Muslim American Youth Foundation’s community center, then reversed and sped off, leaving extensive damage, and its bumper and hubcap, behind.
The Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) says this is the fifth Islamic center in Washington that has been targeted in the past four months, in addition to many other houses of worship.
“This is yet another disturbing act of violence at a Washington State Islamic center. If there happened to be people praying inside the facility at the time of this hit-and-run, we would be talking about extensive injuries taking place,” CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi said in a statement. “This is a community that is a haven for many young people, and it’s heartbreaking to see their facility damaged in this way. We stand with our brothers and sisters in the MAYF community and hope the person responsible will be brought to justice soon.”
The Muslim community is holding a press conference Tuesday at 9 a.m. outside the MAYF in Burien.
