Man Who Shot At Mosque After Paris Attacks Gets Prison Time

New Haven, CT 01/04/16 In this Jan. 4, 2016 photo, defendant Ted Hakey Jr.,, right, accused of shooting into a mosque next door to his home leaves U.S. District Court with one of his attorneys Jeffrey Cohen after a... New Haven, CT 01/04/16 In this Jan. 4, 2016 photo, defendant Ted Hakey Jr.,, right, accused of shooting into a mosque next door to his home leaves U.S. District Court with one of his attorneys Jeffrey Cohen after appearing after appearing in court. Hakey pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime and apologized to members of the Baitul Aman Mosque in Meriden after he opened fire on the empty building in a drunken burst of anger the night of the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris. The congregation of the mosque will ask for Hakey to be spared from prison at his sentencing this week, urging forgiveness despite federal prosecutors' call for him to serve time behind bars. (John Woike/Hartford Courant via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT MORE LESS

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A man who shot at a Connecticut mosque out of anger on the night of the terror attacks in Paris was sentenced Friday to six months in prison.

Nobody was hurt when Ted Hakey Jr. opened fire on the empty Baitul Aman Mosque in Meriden on Nov. 13, striking the building at least four times.

Hakey pleaded guilty in February to destruction of religious property, a federal hate crime, and apologized in person in an emotional appearance at the mosque. Federal guidelines called for him to serve eight to 14 months in prison.

Hakey consumed about 10 alcoholic drinks at a bar before coming home and firing a handgun and rifle from his yard toward the mosque next door, investigators said. He also made several anti-Muslim posts on social media and expressed outrage about the Paris attacks that killed 130 people. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the carnage.

On Facebook Hakey wrote: “What is gonna be the breaking point to go ‘weapons free’ against Islam.”

The leader of the mosque, Mohammed Qureshi, said members had forgiven Hakey and they urged to court to spare him from prison.

Federal prosecutors noted the FBI has reported a rise in hate crimes around the country and said Hakey should have been incarcerated for a time as a deterrent.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. All these gun-hugger ammosexuals around the world think they can settle problems with their bullets instead of their brains.

    Anyone who thinks like that deserves no rights to a gun nor to bullets.

  2. He’s lucky that after ten drinks he didn’t kill anyone if he were driving. Was he? Could’ve been charged with vehicular manslaughter.

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