A bullet was reportedly fired through the dome of an Orland Park mosque Tuesday morning, damaging the building during a early morning prayer service.
No one was hurt when the single shot was fired through the dome of the mosque a few minutes after 6 a.m. during the Fajr, or break-of-dawn prayer, according to a statement from the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The bullet penetrated the dome and caused debris to fall and disrupt the service, according to the statement. About 40 people were in the prayer center at the time.
The mosque is at 16530 104th Ave. in Orland Park, according to its website.
“Incidents such as this have a chilling effect on worshippers,” CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said in the statement. “No one should have to go to their place of worship worried if they’ll make it back home alive,” Rehab said.
CAIR said Orland Park police were contacted and are investigating. Orland Park police could not immediately be reached for comment.
See also “CAIR-Chicago seeks FBI probe of shot fired at Illinois mosque”, CAIR press release, 25 March 2014
Update: See “Group calls for FBI hate crime probe after bullet pierces mosque during morning worship”, Huffington Post, 26 March 2014
Update 2: See “Worship continues at Orland Park mosque as police investigate gunshot”, Southtown Star, 26 March 2014