Two men have been shot and killed after open firing at a self-described “free speech event” held by political activist Pamela Geller on Sunday.
The first annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest was held in Texas by Geller’s organization, the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI). The AFDI is classified a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre.
The event featured images of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, according to an earlier Breitbart report leading up to the event.
#garlandshooting cop shot – two suspects dead, awaiting bomb squad for possible explosives at our free speech event #sharia
— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) May 4, 2015
The two men were shot by police officers in the car park at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, after they drove up and shot at the event according to local news station WFAA. A security officer was injured in the attack, and has been released from the hospital, CBS11 reported.
The facility holding the event was evacuated by a SWAT team, and a bomb squad is searching the area. There was already a strong police presence at the event due to the nature of the content being discussed and displayed.
The suspects may have had explosives on their person, according to a WFAA reporter at the scene. There are also initial unconfirmed reports that the suspects were armed with AK-47 guns.
#BREAKING SWAT tells me two men have been shot. Possibly with explosives on them. @wfaachannel8
— Jobin Panicker (@jobinpnews) May 4, 2015
Talking with ppl inside. @wfaachannel8 pic.twitter.com/Hy2oQw5bzr
— Jobin Panicker (@jobinpnews) May 4, 2015
The exhibit, billed as a “very important first amendment event” by the organizers, saw over 300 people gather at the same venue where the “Stand with the Prophet in Honor and Respect” rally was held in January following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris.
– mashable