LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—
FAST FACTS:
- FBI issues bulletin to law enforcement warning accused killer may have been researching other possible targets
- Memphis among the cities mentioned
- Shelby County Sheriff's Office says bulletin was non-specific about local locations
Scott.Noll@wreg.com
(Memphis 6/3/2009) The Raleigh native charged with the shooting rampage outside a Little Rock military recruiting center on Monday, may have had his hometown on a short list of cities targeted for potential attacks, according to federal investigators.
Abdulhakim Muhammad, formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, is accused of killing one soldier, and wounding another.
Now, federal investigators believe the Craigmont High School grad, was researching possible targets on-line.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin to law enforcement agencies in at least five different states late Tuesday.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Department says the bulletin did not mention any specific targets in the Mid South.
Rather, an FBI spokesman explained the bulletin was issued."out of an abundance of caution."
News that Muhammad was researching locations on-line in his former hometown was met with mixed reaction downtown.
"If you're determined to do it, he's going to do it," Charles Dabney said, explaining he was not concerned by the revelation. "Don't nobody know he's going to do it."
According to a source, familiar with the bulletin, Memphis was listed along with Atlanta, Louisville, New York and Philadelphia.
Locations ranged from Jewish organizations, to a church, military offices, and a child care center.
"It is alarming, especially when you said child care facility," said Lauryn Addison, of Raleigh. "That kind of hit home for me because I'm a mother of two. I just don't know what to think about those types of people."
The head of Shelby County's Homeland Security division calls the bulletin very non-specific.
Because of that, he says no extra patrols or surveillance have been put in place.
Instead, Captain Dale Lane hopes deputies will fall back on their training.
"Look at anybody when they're making traffic stops, or they're answering calls," explained Capt. Lane. "They're constantly looking through a homeland security spectrum."
Lane says his investigators constantly exchange information with other agencies, including the feds.
While he wouldn't get specific about the contents of the bulletin, Lane says there's been no sign Muhammad, who was arrested shortly after Monday's shooting, was working with anyone else.
But, Lane says, every possibility has to be investigated.
In the meantime, Lane says people in the Mid South shouldn't be scared by news Muhammad may have targeting locations in Memphis.
But he's quick to add, anything can happen anywhere.
"What we do need to do is stay vigilant for these behaviors, these things that are outside the norm, and report those," said Lane.
WREG News Channel 3 Investigators did receive an itemized list of what police seized from inside Muhammad's truck after his arrest.
While there's nothing saying, he was heading to one of the locations he looked up on-line, investigators say Muhammad did have three guns, Molotov cocktails, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition with him.
