GARLAND, Texas (AP) — Two gunmen were killed Sunday after opening fire on a security officer outside a provocative contest for cartoon depictions of Prophet Muhammad in Texas and a bomb squad was called in to search their vehicle as a precaution, authorities said.
The men drove up to the Curtis Culwell Center in the Dallas suburb of Garland as the contest was scheduled to end and began shooting at a security officer, the City of Garland said in a statement. Garland police officers returned fire, killing the men.
"Because of the situation of what was going on today and the history of what we've been told has happened at other events like this, we are considering their car (is) possibly containing a bomb," Officer Joe Harn, a spokesman for the Garland Police Department, said at a news conference.
Police are not aware of any ongoing threat and had not received any credible threats before the event, Harn said.
Harn said it was not immediately clear whether the shooting was connected to the event inside, a contest hosted by the New York-based American Freedom Defense Initiative that would award $10,000 for the best cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
Such drawings are deemed insulting to many followers of Islam and have sparked violence around the world. According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous.
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REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION Police officers stand guard at an entrance as attendees are prevented f …
The Curtis Culwell Center, a school-district owned public events space, was evacuated earlier Sunday, as were some surrounding businesses. Police blocked off a large area around the center Sunday night. There was a heavy police presence, and police helicopters circled overhead as bomb squads worked on the car.
Authorities haven't removed the bodies of the gunmen, who have not yet been identified, Harn said. The bodies are too close to the car to be removed, but that will happen once the scene is clear, he said.
The security officer who was shot worked for the Garland Independent School District, Harn said. He was treated at a local hospital for injuries and had been released Sunday night.
After the shooting, about 75 attendees at the contest were escorted by authorities to another room in the conference center. A woman held up an American flag, and the crowd sang "God Bless America."
The attendees were then taken to a separate location, where an Associated Press reporter was told they could not leave until FBI agents arrived to question them.
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A police officer prevents attendees from leaving the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest after shots we …
Neither the FBI office in Washington, D.C., nor the Dallas office had any immediate comment.
Johnny Roby of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was attending the conference. He told the AP he was outside the building when he heard around about 20 shots that appeared to be coming from the direction of a passing car.
Roby said he then heard two single shots. He said he heard officers yell that they had the car before he was sent inside the building.
Pamela Geller, president of the AFDI, told the AP before Sunday's event that she planned the contest to make a stand for free speech in response to outcries and violence over drawings of Muhammad. Though it remained unclear several hours after the shooting whether it was related to event, she said Sunday night that the shooting showed how "needed our event really was."
In January, 12 people were killed by gunmen in an attack against the Paris office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had lampooned Islam and other religions and used depictions of Muhammad. Another deadly shooting occurred the following month at a free speech event in Copenhagen featuring an artist who had caricatured the prophet.
Geller's group is known for mounting a campaign against the building of an Islamic center blocks from the World Trade Center site and for buying advertising space in cities across the U.S. criticizing Islam.
When a Chicago-based nonprofit held a January fundraiser in Garland designed to help Muslims combat negative depictions of their faith, Geller spearheaded about 1,000 picketers at the event. One chanted: "Go back to your own countries! We don't want you here!" Others held signs with messages such as, "Insult those who behead others," an apparent reference to recent beheadings by the militant group Islamic State.
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I don't say this very often but "good job officers"!
Is it a good idea to do something just because it's legal? (Drawing Mohamed) WHY incite these fanatical idiots? I guess I don't understand what purpose it serves. Why stir the pot and look for trouble? Personally I admit that I literally hate Muslims. I have 9/11. That doesn't mean I go looking for trouble. If they look for trouble... No problem I carry a weapon. Pose a threat and I'd gladly drop a Muslim. But again... WHY look for trouble with a Mohamed drawing contest?
The Muslim Koran (Quran) was truly written for Islamic Muslim Terrorists, as its Originator was the first true Islamic Muslim Terrorists, as we all know from History! Therefore, all those who believe in that Muslim Koran (Quran) written word, must also be Islamic Muslim Terrorists as well – without a doubt! It is a real Misnomer, to call the Islamic Religion a “Peaceful Religion”, as History has shown in the Past, and Present, that it is “NOT” a “Peaceful Religion at all”, nor is the Koran (Quran) written as such as well! (Knowledge is Power)! (Please make a Copy, and send all over the Internet)! Thank you!
How quickly the left wing, pro-radical islamist-fascists come to the support of two would be attempted murderers because a group of people had the gaul, the nerve to mock their pedo-phile false prophet. This is the same group of rabid, shrill left wingers who wrap themselves with the 1st amendment until someone else uses it to criticize and/or mock one of the chosen. Then at this point they discard all traces of support for the 1st and instead come up with excuses for the two attempted murders who were rightfully put down by armed police officers in this incident.
In the end the left does not side with Americans or the 1st or any part of the constitution. No they hate this country, they hate Americans and those who stand up for the US constitution which cuts both ways even though they only want it to cut in favor of their views only. Don't worry though the leftwing in this country is working feverishly to craft up laws to ensure only their views are allowed and only their chosen groups get a right to express their points of view.
well it seems that if some gay artist decides to depict Jesus as gay, in a painting, and I go shoot a guard at the opening event then I'm going to get all this "don't offend Christians." I'm not for openly offending any ones religion or shooting guards, but the hypocrites pointing fingers at this event wouldn't say one word if it smashed Christianity. We don't shot peeps for downing Christ, we speak out and get land blasted and we still don't kill peeps for Blaspheming. We don't slit throats and rape and make people pay sin taxes because they aren't Christians.
I do NOT like Islam. However, it was stupid for people in Texas to hold a provocative contest for cartoon depictions of Prophet Muhammad. Why do they have to be provocative? Although I realize that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution of the USA, I do NOT think it is a wise thing to hold such a provocative contest. Let's NOT offend other religion. Let others believe what they want. Have respect for other religions, although I only believe that Jesus is real God manifested in flesh.
Attention all Muslims living in all Western Nations. We understand you do not accept the views and ways of the respective nations you have chosen to live in. Please understand that
the people of those nations do not want you there. Please leave at your earliest convenience and return to an Islamic Country of your choice. That will benefit both you and the Free World.
Freedom of speech? How about getting yahoo to stop censoring comments.
Does anyone know why it's blasphemous to draw a picture of Mohammed? I've been wondering what the reason is for a long time. Are there any Muslims out there who know why it's considered so very bad, bad enough to kill people for doing it?
I would just tell all those Islamic Muslims in the U.S.A. to leave if they are not happy in the U.S.A, and if they cannot afford it, then here is the Money for your Passage, to go to other Islamic Muslim Countries like Syria, or just join ISIS, but that they will have to leave their U.S.A. Citizenship at the Door, if they are U.S.A. Citizens, and it would be just a one way Trip for them, with no return to the U.S.A. ever allowed again – period! (Please make a Copy, and send all over the Internet)! Thank you!
Can anyone explain why the following quote from the article shouldn't be considered the absolute dumbest comment in the history of all dumb comments?:
"The statement did not say whether the shooting was related to the event. " DUH!