A suspect has been arrested in the vandalism of a mosque in Bloomington, Indiana.
WISH-TV reports Adam Walls, 32, has been charged with institutional criminal mischief.
According to Fox59, police recognized Walls from surveilance video as someone they have dealt with in the past. Walls has a history of criminal mischief, court records indicate.
Islamic Center of Bloomington describe the damage as extensive. Center employees arrived Monday to find damage to the HVAC system, fence panels and picnic tables, WTHR reported.
“This is a peaceful place where I come to worship,” said Heather Akou. “I come to be with other Muslims. It sickens me to know that someone thinks so poorly of Muslims and would vandalize a faith community like this. It’s just really disturbing. Every time something like this happens it makes people afraid. There have been times where, for months, I really questioned whether it was a good idea to come to the building.”
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“This incident has sent chills down our collective community’s spine,” the mosque said in a statement. “We do not feel safe and feel that the threat, which we believe is a hate crime, has not been dealt with adequately. The lone perpetrator captured in security footage clearly targeted our mosque, not touching any other cars, property, or residences in the area. While we worry that inaction may send the wrong message to those who think we are low hanging fruit, we note that many allies have warmly reached out to us; we are so glad to be a part of the loving and supportive Bloomington community and look forward to spending many more years among you.”
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