Man Who Fired Rifle At Mosque After Paris Attacks Apologizes

In this Feb. 27, 2016 photo, a sign inscribed "Love for all, hatred for none" stands outside the Baitul Aman mosque where the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worships in Meriden, Conn. The office of the U.S. attorney for ... In this Feb. 27, 2016 photo, a sign inscribed "Love for all, hatred for none" stands outside the Baitul Aman mosque where the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community worships in Meriden, Conn. The office of the U.S. attorney for Connecticut held an anti-bullying forum in December 2015 for children at the mosque, which had been fired upon three weeks earlier in a shooting that was prosecuted as a federal hate crime. (AP Photo/Michael Melia) MORE LESS
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MERIDEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man who fired a rifle at a mosque next to his home shortly after the deadly attacks in Paris has apologized, saying he acted out of fear.

The Hartford Courant reports (http://cour.at/1ZUKMKe) Ted Hakey Jr. made the comments during Saturday’s symposium at the Baitul Aman Mosque in Meriden.

Hakey told mosque members that fear is “always when you don’t know something,” adding that he wished he’d taken the time to understand them before acting.

The mosque was empty and no one was hurt when Hakey opened fire hours after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Prosecutors say Hakey’s Facebook account contained evidence of animus toward Muslims.

Hakey pleaded guilty in February to a federal hate crime of damaging religious property. Sentencing is May 10.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Quick to judge
    Quick to anger
    Slow to understand
    Ignorance and prejudice
    And fear walk hand in hand…

  2. “Fear”

    Trying to claim victimhood.

  3. If the apology was honest, this is a good thing. It’s one more person who might recognize tea baggery for what it is.

  4. I have a picture of him the day he shot up the mosque:

  5. Him actually going to the Mosque to deliver it is a positive sign ---- So many just profess to “the press” or “write a note” –

    It is still, however, prior his sentencing — And it is naturally difficult to not to want to “cushion” one’s landing when falling —

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