Advertisement

Australia shooting linked to terrorism, police say

By Tomas Monzon
New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione tells reporters fatal shooting linked to terrorism. Screenshot via AOL
New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione tells reporters fatal shooting linked to terrorism. Screenshot via AOL

SYDNEY, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A 15-year-old Iranian fatally shot a civilian member of Sydney's police force Friday, and police linked the act to terrorism.

The teenager shot Curtis Cheng, a 17-year employee of the police force's finance department, from behind as he left work around 4:30 p.m. The teenager was then shot by local police.

Advertisement

The teenager is of Iraqi-Kurdish roots and was born in Iran, and naturalized in Australia. He walked 15 minutes from the local Parramatta Mosque to the State Crime Command headquarters on Charles Street prior to the shooting. Parramatta Mosque chairman Neil El-Kadomi attempted to review closed-circuit television footage to determine when the teenager came in but told The Daily Telegraph the mosque has "400-500 people coming everyday."

No identification information was found on the body of the shooter. Witnesses said the shooter paraded along the street right after shooting Cheng, shouting "Allah."

During a press conference Saturday, New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the attack was motivated by politics and as a result connected to terrorism. Police want to determine if someone motivated the teenager to commit the crime.

Multiple incidents involving teens committing acts of terrorism have occurred in Australia recently.

Advertisement

In September of 2014, an 18-year-old shot two counterterrorism police officers in Melbourne. In May of the same year, a 17-year-old was arrested there after plotting to detonate three homemade pipe bombs.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged the radicalization of young people as a complex issue Australian authorities are working to address.

Latest Headlines