Investigators search for motive in shooting at US military base

Authorities are investigating what made a gunman attack military sites in the US, killing four marines before he was shot dead by police.

Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old, Kuwait-born engineer, had not been on the radar of federal authorities and little is known about what motivated his rampage in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Federal authorities are looking into the possibility it was an act of terror, but say there is no evidence yet that anyone else was involved or that the public is in any danger.

The shootings took place minutes apart, with the gunman stopping his car and spraying dozens of bullets first at a recruiting centre for all branches of the military, then driving to a marine training centre seven miles away, authorities and witnesses said. The attacks were over within 30 minutes.

In addition to the marines killed, three people were reported wounded, including a sailor who was seriously hurt.

Officials have said they do not know why the shooter targeted the facilities and have not said what weapons he used. Even the exact spelling of his first name was not clear. Federal authorities and records gave at least four variations.

Residents in the neighbourhood where Abdulazeez is believed to have lived said they did not know him or his family well.

Hussnain Javid, a 21-year-old senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, said Abdulazeez studied electrical engineering at the same college. They both graduated from Red Bank High School in Chattanooga several years apart. Mr Javid said Abdulazeez was on the high school’s wrestling team and was a popular student.

The Tennessee Valley Authority confirmed Abdulazeez had been an intern at the public utility a few years ago.

“He was very outgoing,” Mr Javid said. “Everyone knew of him.”

He said he occasionally saw Abdulazeez at the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga, but the last time was roughly a year ago.

A US official said there was no indication Abdulazeez was on the radar of federal law enforcement before the shootings.

Authorities would not say publicly how the gunman died, but the official said investigators believe Chattanooga police fired the shot that killed him. At least one military commander at the scene also fired at the gunman with his personal weapon, but forensic investigators determined that police killed him, the official said.

FBI agent Ed Reinhold said Abdulazeez had “numerous weapons” but would not give details. He said investigators have “no idea” what motivated the shooter, but “we are looking at every possible avenue, whether it was terrorism, whether it’s domestic, international, or whether it was a simple criminal act”.

Mr Reinhold also told a news conference that “there is no indication at this point that anybody else was involved”.

The US National Counterterrorism Centre said it has seen nothing so far to connect Abdulazeez to any terror organisation, but intelligence officials are monitoring the investigation closely. The Islamic State group has been encouraging extremists to carry out attacks in the US.

President Barack Obama pledged a prompt and thorough investigation and said the White House had been in touch with the Pentagon to make sure military installations are being vigilant.

“It is a heartbreaking circumstance for these individuals who served our country with great valour to be killed in this fashion,” Obama said.