On 16 July, a lone gunman opened fire on two military bases in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The shooting, which occurred shortly after 10am, killed five servicemen. Another serviceman and a policeman were left injured, and the shooter was also killed at the scene.
Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who was armed with three guns, began his spree by firing at the Armed Forces Career Centre from inside his rental car. Abdulazeez then drove 11 kilometres to the nearby Naval Reserve where he fired into the recruiting offices, before turning on police officers and being fatally shot.
Wounded Chattanooga police officer, Dennis Pedigo, said staff at the military recruiting office acted calmly and quickly in response. He has also said in a press conference after the shooting that service members acted with honour and valour during the attack.
In a speech after the attack, US President Barack Obama eulogised each of the service members who lost their lives. Obama called the victims “heroes”, and minutes later lowered the White House flags to half-mast in their honour.
Investigations on Abdulazeez show that he suffered from depression and poor mental health. Discussions with his family and friends have revealed that he harboured anti-American feelings. In the days before the attack, he had been on a downward spiral, smoking marijuana and joyriding in the car he would later use to kill the five men.
The Abdulazeez family claimed they knew he wasn’t well, but believed he posed no real threat to society. It was later discovered that he had been writing a journal in which he voiced his displeasure over the US government and its war on terror.
Bilal Sheikh, who had known Abdulazeez since they were teenagers, told the Associated Press that Abdulazeez was “the most cheerful guy” who would “brighten your day”.
US governors are now calling for increased security measures at recruiting offices and military facilities. It has also been suggested that National Guard members should be armed at all times.