The recent shooting incident outside the Islamic Center of Rhode Island in South Providence occurred yesterday, resulting in the injury of a man affiliated with the mosque. The victim, Dean Scott Ramos, was shot while selling Islamic clothing near the mosque, as reported by WPRI and confirmed by The Boston Globe.
Though the motive of the shooting is currently unknown, the Imam of the mosque, Abdul-Latif Sackor, suggests it was directed towards the Muslim community at large, not just the victim. Acknowledging the potential for it to be a bias crime, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called on law enforcement to consider bias motives during their investigation. "Because we have witnessed an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide in recent weeks, we urge local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for this attack," stated National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Prior to the shooting, there were no daily threats reported to the Providence mosque. Police Chief Oscar Perez announced that security would be increased not just at the mosque but at all the city's religious institutions, demonstrating a commitment to upholding the freedom of religion.
