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| David Conrad [Photos released by Morton Grove Police Department] |
Morton Grove, Illinois: Two air rifle shots were fired last night at the outer wall of the Muslim Education Center (MEC) mosque in Morton Grove, Illinois.
The shots were heard by worshipers who were outside the mosque and were powerful enough to damage the building's brick wall.
A neighbor, who lives just east of mosque, allegedly fired the shots.
Police officials have confiscated a high-velocity air rifle from the home of David Conrad, 51. He was charged with three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of criminal damage to property
"This is obviously an alarming situation that all parties are taking very seriously. The weapon allegedly used in this incident is powerful enough to kill, and the projectiles reportedly came within inches of the head of the security guard on duty," said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab.
"We have full trust in the professionals handling this investigation. They are doing everything in their power to keep communities safe and ensure that justice is served," Rehab asserted.
Earlier this week, CAIR's national headquarters issued a community safety advisory for American mosques following other incidents targeting Muslim houses of worship in Missouri and Rhode Island and after the deadly shooting attack previous Sunday on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.