What we know: Harrisburg police shootings
Harrisburg police block off sections of the street after a shooting on Friday. Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said there’s “no doubt” a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the capital city before they shot and killed him was targeting police officers. Authorities say Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer on Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her. They say he later approached police with two handguns and fired many shots at them before they returned fire and killed him. (Photo: Mark Pynes/PennLive.com via AP)
Here’s a look at what we know about the shootings in Harrisburg that authorities are now calling a terror attack:
What happened?
After 4 p.m. on Friday, Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired several shots at a Capitol police officer in downtown Harrisburg, striking his vehicle several times, Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said. There was “no doubt,” he said, that the man had been targeting law enforcement.
Next, about 20 to 30 minutes later, El-Mofty shot several times at a Pennsylvania State Police trooper and wounded her, Marsico said. The trooper was “doing well,” he said, and is expected to fully recover.
El-Mofty followed the trooper and eventually encountered more police. They shot and killed him when he approached them firing two handguns, Marsico said.
What was the motive?
It’s not clear at this point.
But on Sunday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a statement that described the shooting as a terror attack.
BREAKING: My statement on Immigration Backgrounds of Recent Terror-Related Suspects: pic.twitter.com/I3JfZOfuBh
— Tyler Q. Houlton (@SpoxDHS) December 24, 2017
Who is Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty?
El-Mofty, 51, was a naturalized U.S. citizen who emigrated from Egypt, said Tyler Houlton, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of a Homeland Security, in a statement.
He recently was in the Middle East. He’s also spent time in Dauphin and Cumberland counties, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.
Houlton cited the shooting as an example that highlights “the Trump administration’s concerns with extended family chain migration.”
51-year-old Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty. (Photo courtesy of the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office).
Reactions
Grateful for the swift reaction to this incident by Capitol Police, @PAStatePolice and City of Harrisburg Police. Our officers were directly in harm’s way but they did not hesitate and protected others from harm. https://t.co/s6E4ZQGvTX
— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) December 23, 2017
Last night, a monster tried to kill police officers in Harrisburg. It’s a tribute to our police that the only life lost was the shooter’s. It’s also a stark reminder of the dangers our police and 1st responders face daily. This Christmas, say a prayer for all who keep us safe.
— Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) December 23, 2017
Our entire state is thankful for the work of law enforcement in Harrisburg last evening. Our brave law enforcements officers took extraordinary risks last night, as they do daily, to keep us safe
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) December 23, 2017
How can you help? >>
Law enforcement is now asking anyone with information about the shootings to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.
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