The man accused of fatally shooting a Lyft driver in Texas and then opening fire in the lobby of a police station was seemingly motivated by a foreign terrorist organization.
Imran Ali Rasheed ordered a vehicle to his home in city of Garland through the ride-sharing app on Sunday around 2 p.m. According to authorities, the 26-year-old suspect shot and killed the driver, identified on Monday as Isabella Lewis, then allegedly stole her car and drove to the Plano Police Headquarters, where he unleashed a torrent of bullets.
Rasheed was struck when officers returned fire and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital at 2:26 p.m. that afternoon.
Lewis’ car was found a short time later outside the police station. Inside, authorities discovered a note left behind Rasheed indicating he “may have been inspired by a foreign terrorist organization,” Matthew DeSarno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Dallas office, said during a press conference earlier this week.
He did not offer more specifics on the letter and declined to identify the group. DeSarno added that authorities at this time believe he acted alone.
Authorities said there is no apparent connection between Lewis and Rasheed. They also said it’s unclear why he targeted the Plano Police Department.
From 2010 to 2013, Rasheed was the subject of a counterterrorism investigation after which agents determined that he did not pose a threat, Desarno told reporters.
The agency’s regional terrorism task force is working on the investigation of Lewis’ killing, he said.
The officers’ shooting of Rasheed is also being investigated in cooperation with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, he said.
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