Chattanooga Shooting Could be Act of Domestic Terrorism
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Authorities are still investigating the deaths of four marines after a shooting this afternoon at two military recruitment centers in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While investigators continue to debate whether this is an act of terrorism, one expert says that word can be confusing.
Montgomery’s Director of Public Safety Chris Murphy now says the Montgomery Police Department will be providing extra patrols at local recruiting offices and at military entrance gates in the wake of the shooting. While the incident did not happen here, there are certainly a lot of questions about just how secure these centers are.
Investigators are debating whether the shooting of four marines in Chattanooga, TN is an act of domestic terrorism.
Richard Cohen with the Southern Poverty Law Center says there seems to be confusion surrounding the word term.
“Typically we think of terrorism as violence committed by a non-state actor with a political motivation that’s intended to injure or terrorize more than the people who are the immediate targets of the attack.”
Cohen, who testified about violent extremism in America before Congress on Wednesday, says it’s easier for some to equate to word terrorism with outsiders.
“9/11 cast a very, very long shadow and when most people think of terrorism, they think of twin towers fallings, Al Queda, now ISIS…”
But Cohen says terrorism happens in the United States as well.
“There isn’t only one form of extremism in our country. It’s not just Islamic terrorsim. The Charleston shooting of course tells us there are other forms of terrorism that are quite dangerous.”
The Armed Forces Career Center here in Montgomery has security cameras and key-code entry. A rep from the Office of the U.S. Marine Corps says employees are trained for dangerous situations.
