New details have begun to emerge about the shooting at the Naval Air Station Pensacola that left three sailors dead. Although the FBI has still not determined a motive, it’s treating the incident as an act of terrorism.
From ABC News:
President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, said on CBS’ “”Face the Nation” that the shooting looked like “terrorism or akin to terrorism.” But he cautioned that the FBI was still investigating.
“Look, to me it appears to be a terrorist attack,” he said. “I don’t want prejudge the investigation, but it appears that this may be someone that was radicalized.” O’Brien said he did not see evidence so far of a “broader plot.”
NBC News reports that the FBI is also investigating if the shooter, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, acted alone or was part of a larger network. So far, no arrests have been made and other Saudi students are cooperating with the investigation.
“There are a number of Saudi students who were close to the shooter and continue to cooperate in this investigation,” said Rachel Rojas, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Jacksonville. All international students on the Pensacola base are currently accounted for, and Rojas thanked Saudi Arabian officials for their cooperation in this investigation.
We now know that Alshamrani spent the Thanksgiving holiday in New York City, where he visited Rockefeller Plaza and various museums. CNN says that the authorities are trying to determine if there is a connection between this visit and the shooting.
Rojas also revealed that Alshamrani had “legally and lawfully” bought the Glock 9 mm pistol used in the shooting. This prompted Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, to question whether foreigners should be allowed to purchase guns in the U.S. Currently, non-immigrants on non-immigrant visas are allowed to purchase firearms as long as they obtain a hunting license first, which Alshamrani did before the attack.
According to ABC News, DeSantis said that he strongly supports the Second Amendment but that it “does not apply to Saudi Arabians.” The governor also called for increased vetting of foreign students allowed into the U.S. for military training.
It’s common for foreign militaries to send students to U.S. military bases for training. Alshamrani was one of 852 Saudi nationals training at military installations around the country. He had been stationed at Pensacola since 2017. USA Today writes “Training international students at Navy Air Station Pensacola is a core part of the base’s mission.