1 person killed in shooting near Columbus, Ohio, mosque

One person was killed in a shooting near a mosque in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday afternoon, but the shooting was not connected to the mosque or those who were inside, police said. 

“We want to make it clear this was not an attack on the mosque,” said Sgt. James Fuqua.

The Columbus Division of Police said they received multiple calls of shots fired in the area shortly after 2 p.m.

“This incident occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex adjacent to a mosque,” the police statement said. “While we are still in the preliminary stages of the investigation as to the details regarding this shooting, this was not a targeted attack on the mosque, nor did this incident occur at the mosque.”

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said earlier Monday in a post on social media that agents were responding to a report of a shooting at the mosque, which is northeast of downtown Columbus. The area includes a nearby cluster of two-story apartment buildings.

An ATF spokesperson said preliminary information indicated people were leaving a funeral at the mosque at the time. The spokesperson said ATF special agents are assisting Columbus police with the ongoing investigation.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.