INDIANAPOLIS — Shots were fired at a mosque on the northwest side Sunday night and now a Muslim advocacy group wants a hate crime investigation into the incident.
The Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network (IMAN) and the Masjid E. Noor mosque want the FBI to step in and get to the bottom of who fired the gun that sent bullets through windows that “nearly struck some of the congregants, in an apparent hate crime against the mosque,” according to a press release from IMAN.
They said people were gathered at the mosque near the intersection of Lafayette Road and West 52nd Street on the city’s northwest side for the Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
“Shootings like the one at Masjid E. Noor have increased recently, with mosques and synagogues being the primary subjects of these hateful crimes. While the Muslim community does not currently have the benefit of any investigation results, we strongly suspect that the violence was motivated by hate and bigotry and urge the IMPD to run a transparent and thorough investigation. We will not tolerate bigotry in our Hoosier state and will continue to work with our allies to ensure that worshippers in Indiana can practice their faiths safely and peacefully,” said IMAN President Syed Ali Saeed in a press release.
A press conference regarding the incident has been scheduled for Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and it will be held at Masjid-e-Noor in Indianapolis. Federal Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Chris Bavender says the FBI is aware of the incident and supporting IMPD as needed.
