Saudi King Condemns "Heinous" US Navy Base Shooting
The shooting, which took place in a classroom building at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, left eight others wounded, including two sheriff's deputies who responded to the attack.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the shooter was from Saudi Arabia -- the same nationality as 15 of the 19 men involved in the 9/11 attacks, some of whom attended civilian flight school in Florida.
US officials familiar with the case told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the suspect had been identified as Saudi Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani.
Also the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist media, identified him as Mohammed al-Shamrani, saying he had posted a short manifesto on Twitter that read: "I'm against evil, and America as a whole has turned into a nation of evil."
"I'm not against you for just being American, I don't hate you because your freedoms, I hate you because every day you supporting, funding and committing crimes not only against Muslims but also humanity," he wrote.
ABC News reported that investigators were working to determine if it was in fact written by the shooter.
The Twitter account that posted the manifesto -- which also condemned US support for Israel and included a quote from Al-Qaeda's deceased leader, the Saudi Osama bin Laden -- has been suspended.
DeSantis told a news conference that "the government of Saudi Arabia needs to make things better for these victims. And I think they are going to owe a debt here given that this is one of their individuals."
Commanding officer Captain Timothy Kinsella said the shooter was an aviation trainee, one of "a couple hundred" foreign students at the base.
Six Saudis were detained following the shooting, including three who were seen filming the entire attack, The New York Times reported, citing a person briefed on the initial investigation.
The gunman was armed with a Glock 9mm handgun that had been purchased locally, the Times reported. It had an extended magazine and the shooter had four to six other magazines in his possession.
US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia's King Salman called him to offer condolences and sympathy to the victims."
In the call with President Donald Trump, the king expressed "deep sorrow" over the Florida shooting and pledged cooperation with American officials, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
"He (the king) affirmed that the perpetrator of this heinous crime does not represent the Saudi people," it reported.
The Saudi king "assured Trump of the kingdom's full support to the United States, as he ordered Saudi security services to cooperate with American agencies to uncover information that will help uncover the circumstances behind this unfortunate incident,"
Also the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist media, identified him as Mohammed al-Shamrani, saying he had posted a short manifesto on Twitter that read: "I'm against evil, and America as a whole has turned into a nation of evil."
"I'm not against you for just being American, I don't hate you because your freedoms, I hate you because every day you supporting, funding and committing crimes not only against Muslims but also humanity," he wrote.
ABC News reported that investigators were working to determine if it was in fact written by the shooter.
The Twitter account that posted the manifesto -- which also condemned US support for Israel and included a quote from Al-Qaeda's deceased leader, the Saudi Osama bin Laden -- has been suspended.
DeSantis told a news conference that "the government of Saudi Arabia needs to make things better for these victims. And I think they are going to owe a debt here given that this is one of their individuals."
Commanding officer Captain Timothy Kinsella said the shooter was an aviation trainee, one of "a couple hundred" foreign students at the base.
Six Saudis were detained following the shooting, including three who were seen filming the entire attack, The New York Times reported, citing a person briefed on the initial investigation.
The gunman was armed with a Glock 9mm handgun that had been purchased locally, the Times reported. It had an extended magazine and the shooter had four to six other magazines in his possession.
Saudi King Condemns "Heinous" US Navy Base Shooting
Saudi Arabia's King Salman telephoned the US president Friday to denounce as "heinous" a fatal shooting at an American naval base allegedly carried out by a Saudi air force trainee, state media said.In the call with President Donald Trump, the king expressed "deep sorrow" over the Florida shooting and pledged cooperation with American officials, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
"He (the king) affirmed that the perpetrator of this heinous crime does not represent the Saudi people," it reported.
The Saudi king "assured Trump of the kingdom's full support to the United States, as he ordered Saudi security services to cooperate with American agencies to uncover information that will help uncover the circumstances behind this unfortunate incident,"
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