MCSO, FBI officials holding news conference on suspect in deputy involved shooting
PHOENIX (FOX 10) -- Officials with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and FBI are holding a news conference, following reports that an 18-year-old who was shot by deputies during a shooting in Fountain Hills has been charged with terrorism-related offenses.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 10 Wednesday, Ismail Hamed, 18, has been charged with two counts of Intentional Act of Terrorism, which is a felony, in a direct complaint to the court that was filed on Tuesday. Hamed is accused of providing advice, assistance, direction or management to ISIS on January 7, and accused of committing an act of terrorism on the same day.
Court documents did not provide any further information on the exact nature of the criminal complaints.
In the deputy involved shooting incident, Sheriff's officials say Hamed called 911, saying he wanted to talk to a deputy at MCSO's Fountain Hills substation northeast of Phoenix. They say an unidentified sergeant contacted Hamed outside the substation and the suspect allegedly started throwing rocks at him. Hamed allegedly advanced toward the sergeant with a knife despite repeated commands for him to drop it before shots were fired.
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"During the course of this investigation, our investigators, in partnership with our partners at the FBI and the task force that investigates these types of crimes, were able to determine that this individual have, for some time frame, been in the process of what we would describe as radicalizing," said Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone, during the news conference. "Additionally, evidence indicates, in his statements, that his intent that day was to further the actions of his ideology, and it is our belief that his intent was to harm that deputy, in an effort to promote terror."
At the news conference, Michael DeLeon with the FBI said Hamed was not known to the FBI prior to the incident, and DeLeon called Hamed a Home-grown Violent Extremist, or HVE.
DeLeon said HVE is defined by the FBI as "a person who is based in the United States, who has been inspired by global jihadist movement, and who engages in a terrorist activity to advance an ideology."
"HVEs typically work alone," said DeLeon, who went on to say authorities have not identified any additional threats associated with Hamed or the investigation.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.