Guard alert; fifth victim dies

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - As the death toll rose to five, a handful of governors ordered National Guardsmen to take up arms in response to the brazen attacks on two Tennessee military sites.

The military did not identify the latest victim, but family members had previously said that Petty Officer Second Class Randall Smith, 26, was among the injured and was in critical condition. Smith had lived in Paulding County, Ohio, before joining the service. Four Marines were killed and two other people were injured in the attacks.

In Chattanooga, a city that prides itself on strong ties between people of different faiths, some Muslims feared the community's perception of them had changed after the shooting rampage Thursday.

Mohsin Ali, a member of the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga, said he hoped the local community didn't dissolve into turmoil the way others have in the region over the building of mosques and other matters. Peaceful coexistence has largely prevailed here.

"We, our kids, feel 100 percent American and Chattanoogan," said the Pakistani-born Ali, who is a child psychiatrist. "Now they are wondering if that is how people still look at them."

Valencia Brewer, the wife of a Baptist minister, knows how she will try to view Muslims as the days after the horrific shooting turn to weeks. "I think the way you have to look at it is this was an individual person. You can't point at all Muslims because of this."

Ali and Brewer were among more than 1,000 people who attended a memorial service Friday night at a Baptist church for the victims. Ali, one of the speakers, railed against alleged shooter Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez as a "murderer" who committed a "cowardly and cruel" act.

"He shot our Marines and our police officers, shattered the peace of our city, frightened our children," Ali said. "He destroyed the lives of his whole family. He did his best to spread hatred and division. Disgraceful. And we will not let that endure."

Near the end of the service Friday night, at Ali's urging, dozens of Muslims received a standing ovation as they stood in support of their city and in allegiance to their nation.

As FBI agents served a warrant on the Abdulazeez home Thursday, two women wearing Islamic head coverings were seen being led away in handcuffs. But FBI agent Jason Pack said Saturday that no arrests had been made in the case.

Authorities are looking into the shooting as a terrorism investigation and whether Abdulazeez was inspired or directed by any terrorist organization. They still don't know what motived Abdulazeez.

The president of the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga said Abdulazeez's father told him he felt blindsided and did not see any recent changes in his son.

"He told me that he had never seen it coming and did not see any signs from his son that he would be that way and do something like that," Bassam Issa said.

Meanwhile, governors in at least a half-dozen states ordered Guardsmen to be armed, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott moved his state's Guard recruiters from storefronts in urban areas to armories.