The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a shooting that occurred in Garland, Texas on Sunday outside a Prophet Mohammad Cartoon contest. Two shooters, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, opened fire on a security guard at the event and were both killed by police.
The claim of responsibility includes a warning from that there will be more attacks "We say to the defenders of the cross, the U.S., that future attacks are going to be harsher and worse. The Islamic State soldiers will inflict harm on you with the grace of God. The future is just around the corner." ISIS also referred to Simpson and Soofi as "Al Khilafa" or ISIS soldiers.
How connected to ISIS Simpson and Soofi were remains unclear. While the pair may have seen themselves as part of ISIS there is reportedly little evidence they were directly connected to the group and ISIS may have seen an opportunity after the fact.
One of the shooters, Elton Simpson, had already been under government surveillance for years starting in 2006. Simpson was even convicted in 2011 of lying to the FBI about discussions he had with an FBI informant about traveling to Somalia to wage jihad. Like the Tsarnaev brothers, the government was completely aware of the threat without the need for a surveillance dragnet.
The event the shooting took place at an event organized by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization led by Pamela Gellar. Drawing pictures of Mohammad is offensive to many Muslims and Gellar has continuously campaigned against what she believes is the "Islamization" of America.
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