The Latest: Military directs security upgrades at facilities
Jul 20, 2015, 7:24 PM
Isaac Pierce watches his mother, Stefanie Pierce, as she straightens an American flag at a makeshift memorial at the Armed Forces Career Center, Sunday, July 19, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez attacked two military facilities, including the career center, last week in a shooting rampage that killed a U.S. Navy sailor and four Marines. (John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)
(John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The latest on the Chattanooga shootings at two military facilities (all times local):
9:30 p.m.
The U.S. military has outlined security upgrades for recruiting stations, reserve centers and other facilities after Thursday’s fatal shootings in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a military spokesman says.
Adm. William Gortney directed additional “force protection measures” in orders sent Sunday night, according to Capt. Scott Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Northern Command, which covers military bases in North America.
“The expanded measures are to increase vigilance and sustain security of military personnel and facilities,” Miller says. He would not go into further detail Monday to “protect operational security.”
The shooting prompted governors in at least a half-dozen states to authorize National Guardsmen to take up arms to protect recruiting offices and installations.
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3:30 p.m.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says she has authorized the state’s adjutant general to review security at National Guard installations and recruitment centers following the shooting rampage in Tennessee.
In a statement to The Associated Press, the Republican governor said she fully expects the review to result in the arming of some Guardsmen. Governors in at least a half-dozen states have authorized Guardsmen to be armed after a gunman killed four Marines and a sailor at a Navy-Marine reserve facility in Chattanooga, Tenn.
U.S. military officials have said security at recruitment centers should be reviewed, but have so far not called for recruiters to be armed.
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2:30 p.m.
A federal official says among the items investigators recovered during their search of the Chattanooga gunman’s home are “writings” believed to be from him.
The official spoke Monday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. He would not discuss the contents of the writings, which could shed light on the motive for the shootings.
The gunman killed four Marines and a sailor during an attack on two military facilities Thursday.
Law enforcement officials scheduled no public briefing Monday.
Teams of crime scene investigators from various federal agencies continued to work at the scenes of the attacks, a military recruiting center and a Marine-Navy reserve station.
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Associated Press Michael Biesecker in Chattanooga contributed to this report.
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1 p.m.
An American Muslim blogger who calls himself HijabMan says he condemns the shooting rampage in Tennessee.
The gunman used a quote from the blogger in his high school yearbook, saying: “My name causes national security alerts. What does yours do?”
The blogger, Javed “HijabMan” Memon, told The Associated Press that he wishes the gunman hadn’t quoted him “just as I’m sure Ford wishes OJ (Simpson) hadn’t driven a Bronco and Kraft wishes Jim Jones hadn’t poisoned the Kool Aid. Obviously, none of these products made them do it or endorsed their actions, just as I do not endorse this heinous act.”
Memon said he tries to combat Islamophobia, promote tolerance and use humor to defuse tensions.
“This man’s actions, and his use of my material, go against everything I am trying to accomplish,” he said.
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11:10 a.m.
Hundreds of people have gathered outside a military recruiting office where a shooting rampage began four days ago.
A makeshift memorial of American flags and balloons is growing. Many people carried American flags and some had Confederate battle flags outside the military recruiting office Monday. The windows, several of which were pocked with bullet holes after the shooting, have been covered with plywood.
About seven miles away, yellow police tape still blocked access to the Marine-Navy facility where the killings happened. Law enforcement vehicles were parked nearby with lights flashing.
Authorities say a 24-year-old Kuwait-born man attacked the two facilities, killing four Marines and a sailor. Authorities have not released a motive.
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