Father of gunman in Chattanooga is “devastated” and apologizes

The father of the gunman in Thursday’s fatal shootings here called the head of the local mosque, apologized and told him he was “shocked” by what had happened.

“He was in the dark on what his son has done,” Bassam Issa, president of the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga, told reporters Friday. “He is very devastated and he actually apologized for what his son did to the community at large and to the Muslim community.

“And I told him that we all feel distraught — we all feel shocked — and to basically pray to God that we all as one community come together.”

Issa did not identify the father but said he regularly worships at the mosque.

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