In the hours after Thursday's killing spree at a Chattanooga military facility, a photo of one of the victims was posted on Facebook. Thomas J. Sullivan, a 40-year-old Marine, was shown proud and strong in camouflage gear as he stood in front of a military vehicle. The gunnery sergeant--one of three children of Jerry and Betty Sullivan of Springfield, Massachusetts--had survived two tours of duty in Iraq and was awarded two Purple Hearts.
"Heartbreaking" is how President Barack Obama described the circumstances. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus elaborated: "While we expect our sailors and Marines to go into harm's way, and they do so without hesitation, an attack at home, in our community, is insidious and unfathomable." It was not the first time.
There are more questions than answers about the 24-year-old Kuwaiti-born U.S. citizen who was raised in a Chattanooga suburb by a conservative Muslim family and worked as an electrical engineer. Friends and neighbors described him as seemingly well-adjusted with a background remarkable for its normalcy. But new details are emerging that paint a more complicated picture.
Did he act alone? How did he obtain the weapons used in the killings? Was the attack inspired or directed by Islamic State terrorists who have stepped up calls for their followers to mount attacks against U.S. interests, including military installations?
Authorities said last week there is no indication of Islamic State involvement but stressed the investigation is in its early stages. They said that while the case is being investigated as a terrorist act, no conclusion will be made until all the facts are known.
Such caution is prudent. The people whose lives were taken can never be replaced, but determining the why and how of their tragic deaths--and bringing to justice any others who might have been involved--will honor their service.
Editorial on 07/21/2015