Bloomington mosque vandalized; police search for suspect

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Police are looking for the antheral liable for vandalizing a mosque successful Bloomington aboriginal Monday greeting and leaving down a messiness of damage.

(Photo Provided/Islamic Center of Bloomington)

Leaders astatine the Islamic Center of Bloomington accidental they consciousness similar their mosque was targeted.

Leaders of the mosque arrived aboriginal Monday greeting to find astir each country connected the extracurricular of their gathering had been damaged successful immoderate mode aft a antheral came successful the mediate of the nighttime to wreak havoc.

While constabulary haven’t identified it arsenic such, the mosque leaders say, they judge they were victims of a hatred crime.

Around 1:15 a.m. Monday, information video shows a antheral get astatine the center. For the adjacent 45 minutes, helium is seen destroying the property.

The surveillance video shows him attempting to destruct thing helium tin connected spot from the fence, to picnic tables, playground instrumentality and more.

The antheral adjacent dumped trash cans implicit and ruined the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning strategy by cutting and ripping wires.

Police were called to the mosque astir 6:40 a.m. Monday to find the harm near behind. They accidental they can’t remark connected their investigation, but they person not made immoderate arrests. Investigators person attempted to cod DNA evidence, which was being sent to an Indiana State Police laboratory for analysis.

The FBI says they are alert of the incidental but Bloomington Police Department is starring the investigation.

The halfway sent a connection done Council On American Islamic Relations-Chicago, which shared photos of the vandalism: “This incidental has sent chills down our corporate community’s spine. We bash not consciousness harmless and consciousness that the threat, which we judge is simply a hatred crime, has not been dealt with adequately. The lone perpetrator captured successful information footage intelligibly targeted our mosque, not touching immoderate different cars, property, oregon residences successful the area.”

(Photo Provided/Islamic Center of Bloomington)

Police picture the antheral seen successful this video arsenic a antheral with abbreviated hairsbreadth and layered clothing.

U.S. Rep. André Carson, an Indianapolis Democrat, commented connected the harm successful a tweet, saying: “I condemn this enactment of Islamophobia and expect those liable to beryllium brought to justice. Every Muslim, and each idiosyncratic of faith, should beryllium capable to signifier their religion without fearfulness of unit oregon intimidation.”

Bloomington Police asked anyone with accusation astir the transgression oregon accusation connected the individuality of the fishy to telephone Detective John Alberson with Bloomington constabulary astatine 812-339-4477.