Authorities in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the state's capital, are scratching their heads over what set off 51-year-old Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty late Friday on an apparent shooting spree targeting police officers.
The FBI is now investigating the attacks as terrorism-related. One policewoman, a state trooper, was wounded and El-Mofty, who had recently returned from the Middle East, was killed. The officer is expected to make a full recovery.
The gunman, armed with a shotgun and two rifles, had chased the trooper during one of three shootings that began at around 4 p.m., according to news reports. About three hours later, he was dead.
Ed Marsico, Dauphin County district attorney, said police were deliberately targeted, and that El-Mofty was slain as he fired at officers.
Marsico told media officials had "no idea what the motivation is at this point." A bomb squad investigated a suspicious device spotted near the scene of where El-Mofty was killed, but no threat was found.
Marsico said the FBI was assisting in the investigation to determine if it was a planned act of terrorism.
"We can't comment on that at this time," Marsico said. "But the investigation will continue and it will be thorough."
When asked about specific ties to terrorism, Marsico said an investigation would reveal that information and cautioned, "We don't want people to run wild with speculation."
The first shooting took place at about 4:10 p.m., when El-Mofty allegedly opened fire on a Capitol Police officer in his cruiser, striking the vehicle several times, but missing the officer. The shooting took place just steps from the Pennsylvania state Capitol Building. About a half hour later, the same man is suspected to have opened fire on a female officer who was struck once, but is in good condition at a local hospital, according to Marsico.
"This could've been a really tragic incident with this individual firing many shots at police cars in downtown Harrisburg in the midst of rush hour traffic on Friday afternoon, and then coming up here in a residential neighborhood and firing again many shots," said Marsico.