According to our friends at NewsChannel9, one Chattanooga police officer has been injured in an incident that happened near Riverside Park and Amnicola Highway at about 10:50 a.m. on Thursday.
Mayor Andy Berke tweeted, “Horrific incident in our community. We will release details as they are confirmed. Prayers to all those affected.” Berke confirmed to CNN that one officer has been hurt. Right now we don’t know the extent of the officer’s injuries.
During a Thursday afternoon news conference at the Fire Training Center on Amnicola Highway, law enforcement officials said that a lone gunman attacked a military recruiting facility at Lee Highway and Highway 153 at about 10:45 a.m.. The gunman then went to the Naval Reserve Center near the Riverpark on Amnicola Highway where he again opened fire.
According to officials, four members of the Marine Corps were killed during the incident at the Amnicola location. Three civilians were injured during the incident, officials said. The Chattanooga Police Department officer who was wounded in the incident, was in stable condition awaiting surgery on an ankle wound.
The gunman, who officials have yet to identify, was either killed by law enforcement officials at the Amnicola location or took his own life. CBS News reported late Thursday afternoon that the gunman was Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who apparently lives in the Colonial Shores subdivision of Hixson.
During the press conference, officials urged media not to “put a label,” on the event. They said the FBI would lead a task force of federal, state and local agencies investigating the shooting. Officials originally said they were treating the incident at “an act of domestic terrorism.”
Below is the NewsChannel9 initial report on the incident.
The U.S. Navy tweeted they are investigating the incident.
A Binswanger glass employee nearby confirms to NewsChannel 9 that police told him that they are working on investigating an “active shooter” in the area.
A student at Chattanooga State has confirmed to NewsChannel 9 that the school has been locked down.
Police shut down Amnicola Highway and officers were redirecting traffic from the area.
NewsChannel 9’s Drew Bollea is near the scene, near the Coca-Cola plant.
Drew reports that he heard about a half-dozen shots in rapid succession.
Bollea says he has seen almost thirty emergency vehicles heading to the area, including Chattanooga Police, Hamiton County Emergency Vehicles, and Hamilton County Sheriff’s office vehicles.
Bollea says he saw numerous officers with rifles and guns drawn.
He later saw ambulances leaving the scene.
Follow Drew on Twitter for the latest information.
Chattanooga Police are investigating a second scene at the National Guard office on Lee Highway. There is an active crime scene with shell casings all over the parking lot. Police have not elaborated on the nature of that incident, but we are working to confirm details.
A manager nearby says he saw a silver convertible Mustang take off and heard “at least 20 gunshots.”
There were many lockdowns throughout the area throughout the day, including at Lee University, Memorial Hospital, and Erlanger Hospital. Right now, there is no reason to believe those lockdowns are for any other reasons than as a precaution.
This is a developing story. We are working to confirm more details right now. Depend on us to bring you updates as we get them.
