DOD on the Pensacola Shooting; FBI: Act of Terrorism;
Mohammed Alshamrani, a 21-year-old lieutenant in the Saudi Royal Air Force opened fire in a classroom at the naval base Friday, killing three U.S. sailors and wounding eight others before he was killed by police.had legally purchased the Glock 9mm handgun after obtaining a state hunting license, VOA news reported.
A valid hunting license is one of the exceptions to the federal law that bars anyone traveling to the United States on a nonimmigrant visa to own weapons or ammunition.
The FBI is investigating the fatal shooting at a Naval base in Florida as an act of terrorism. Rachel Rojas, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jacksonville office, Said that the investigation was taking place under the “presumption” it was an act of terrorism, but that the gunman had likely acted alone, according to the VOA report.
“We currently assess there was one gunman who perpetrated this attack and no arrests have been made in this case,” she said.
The shooter, who was also killed in the incident, is reported to have hosted a dinner party earlier in the week where he showed videos of mass U.S. shootings to his guests, according to media reports. At least one of his guests is reported to have videotaped Friday’s massacre. Several Saudi students are being held for questioning.
Before the pilot opened fire at the base, he tweeted a will and quoted Osama bin Laden in justifying his actions, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which translates jihadist threats and communications.
In the Twitter post, he said America “has turned into a nation of evil.” He condemned the U.S. for its support of Israel and its invasion of Muslim countries and many other countries. Using a bin Laden quote, he also said that the security of the U.S. and Muslims is a “shared destiny.” He added, “You will not be safe until we live it as reality in pleastain [sic], and American troops get out of our lands.”
Guns are not permitted at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, but Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said the shooter managed to get a handgun onto the base before targeting individuals at one of the buildings. Officials said the rampage ended when a sheriff’s deputy cornered and shot the suspect in a classroom, According to one VOA report
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that he had been in contact with Saudi King Salman, who offered condolences.
“The King said that the Saudi people are greatly angered by the barbaric actions of the shooter,” Trump said.
In a statement, Salman called the shooting a “heinous crime” and said he expressed his sorrow over the attack in his phone call with Trump. The king said he has directed Saudi security services to cooperate with American agencies to uncover information that will help determine the cause of the “horrific attack,” VOA reported.
Pensacola Shooting | BY CLAUDETTE ROULO , DOD NEWS
Hoffman said the hold on operational training that was implemented following the shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida last week is restricted to Saudi students in the United States. Those students are still conducting training, but it is limited to classroom instruction, he said.
There is no prohibition on new foreign students coming to the United States, Hoffman noted, but they will go through additional vetting procedures that will be implemented in the coming days. “Until that process is complete, we will not see any new students come into the program,” he said.
The suspect’s Saudi acquaintances in the program are restricted to quarters, he said, a move that was taken in coordination with the Saudi government so that they are available to law enforcement.
In a statement, Pentagon officials said the Saudi Arabian students are restricted to base by their commanding officer. The students are under direction by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to cooperate with the investigation, which they are doing, the statement noted. The students have access to classroom instruction, food, medical staff, a U.S. military imam, and their commanding officer, officials said.
Hoffman said the restriction “seemed prudent” and in line with the defense secretary’s guidance that DOD needs to look after its people and their families.
“If something else were to happen and we had not taken steps to address and enhance our vetting and screening, that would be unacceptable,” he said.
Since 2000, more than a million foreign students have taken part in training programs conducted in the United States and overseas, Hoffman said. This type of training is considered a vital tool to help partners increase their capabilities and interoperability and build cultural understanding, he said.
The No. 1 concern in the new vetting system being developed is the safety of U.S. personnel and their families, Hoffman said.. Once the process is developed, he added, the new standards will be expanded to all foreign students.