FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Vandalism at a local Islamic center, first believed to be a hate crime, could now point to a case of mental illness.
Asif Mohammed Khan, 28, of Fresno is suspected of burglarizing and vandalizing the Islamic Cultural Center, which he had attended a number of times, as well as causing extensive damage to the Fresno Digestive Center on Christmas day.
Chief Jerry Dyer says Khan made a statement to police claiming it was not a hate crime, but just his way of getting back at people who had bullied him.
According to Khan's statement: "It was not geared towards the Muslim community, it was not geared towards the Islamic faith, it was not geared towards any of those things, but it was simply to get back at a few people at the center who had belittled him," Dyer said.
Khan's sister Samia made a statement on behalf of her family saying her brother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in his early 20s.
"That cannot fix the damage that has been done, but as part of this community we hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive his mistake and understand the health issue that has brought us here today," Samia said.
Dyer said it's up to the F.B.I. to determine if hate crime charges will be filed.
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FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Christmas vandalism and burglary at the Islamic Cultural Center in northeast Fresno has police on the hunt for the reported lone suspect.
Chief Jerry Dyer said seven of the center's glass doors and windows were knocked out with rocks, items inside were vandalized, including an American flag that had bleach dumped on it.
Dyer said the suspect actually looked straight into a surveillance camera and tried to break it by throwing a rock at it.
"This person was very methodical, it did not appear that he was worried about being caught either at the Islamic Cultural Center or later looking directly into the camera, which for us, in terms of investigative leads, should assist us greatly," Dyer said.
The suspect is described as a white or Hispanic male with a beard seen in surveillance video wearing a San Jose Sharks hat and may have driven off in a newer model Toyota silver Prius.
This is being considered a hate crime and the chief says they're working with the F.B.I. to possibly pursue federal charges when the suspect is caught.
