Shots fired outside Bloomington mosque Saturday night, no injuries

Bloomington Police say they responded to a shots fired call around 10:40 p.m. Saturday near the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center on the 8200 block of Park Avenue.

Officers said they noticed vehicles leaving the area when they arrived but were able to talk to people who were inside and outside the building and determined that the shots had been fired in the parking lot, but no one was injured.

A witness told police that people had started arguing inside a restroom and multiple were asked to leave the premises and escorted out to the parking lot. Shortly after that, the gunshots were heard.

Officers said they did find shell casings in the parking lot.

The mosque posted a statement about the incident on their Facebook, adding that because of it “we will be enhancing our security measures.”

Across the street from Dar Al Farooq, Angie Tangen heard what sounded like gunshots just before 11 p.m. Saturday.

“I literally had just lit some candles, laid down in bed and was just relaxing for the night and I heard several gunshots and immediately looked out the window and noticed that there are several cars in the parking lot,” Tangen said

Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges says through video and witness testimonies, the two male suspects are between ages 17 and 20. 

“These kids just feel that they can operate with impunity, and we’re going to do what we can to make sure that they don’t,” said Hodges.

While the neighborhood has always been quiet, neighbors recall back in 2017 when a bomb went off at the same Islamic center. Since, three people have been convicted and sentenced to prison. 

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“We had the whole bomb scare many years ago. And it’s just it’s the same thing. People are filled with things that don’t serve them or other people and they need to be dealt with or else they come out very aggressive,” Tangen said. 

No arrests have been made. If anyone has information about this incident, call Bloomington Police at 952-563-4900.