Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday morning that “there’s a good chance” Friday’s mass shooting at mall in Washington “could be” Islamic terrorism.
McCaul appeared on Sunday Morning Futures to discuss the latest developments in a week of violence, from last weekend’s bombings in New York and New Jersey, which were allegedly carried out by Muslim immigrant Ahmad Khan Rahami, to the shooting at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington.
On Saturday evening, police arrested Arcan Cetin, 20, a Muslim immigrant and permanent resident from Turkey, for the shootings, in which four women and one man were killed. Cetin was unarmed at his arrest, though he allegedly used three guns stolen from his father in the shooting.
Bartiromo and McCaul discussed both attacks, and discussed possible terror links in the latter case:
Bartiromo: There was a Washington mall shooter. He’s been caught. The suspect was 20 years old. Turkish, Muslim, Arcan Cetin. He was arrested for murder of the five people he killed in the mall in Washington State. What can you tell us about him? Is this related to Islamic terrorism?
McCaul: Well, I think there was a good chance it could be. I know right now law enforcement, FBI is playing it safe, saying there are no links to terrorism. That’s true at least from the evidence so far. I wouldn’t be surprised if we find out more details about this individual, as well as we did Mr. [Ahmad Khan] Rahami.
Thus far, police have suggested that a likely motive for Cetin could have been personal, as his ex-girlfriend worked at the Macy’s store in the mall where the shooting began.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new book, See No Evil: 19 Hard Truths the Left Can’t Handle, is available from Regnery through Amazon. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.