SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- One of the oldest mosques in the state of California was vandalized this weekend -- and leaders say the community is rattled.
San Francisco police say it happened late Friday night and they are still looking for the suspect.
One of the leaders at the mosque said they're not going to let this stop them and their going to continue with prayer as normal, but every time they walk into the mosque they will be reminded of this incident by the broken window.
"I'm 30 years old and I've been going to the mosque since I was a child and i can't remember an incident like this ever taking place."
People were inside of the Islamic Center of San Francisco around 11:45 p.m. Friday night when they heard a loud noise and the glass break.
Security video shows the suspect turn the corner, throws the bottle and run away.
A photo shows the bottle on the ground in a spot someone would use to pray.
One of the members saw the suspect leave the scene.
The Islamic Center has been a part of the San Francisco community since the 1950s and it is one of the oldest mosques in California.
Resident scholar Shahbaz Shaikh says they are being transparent with their community and notified the mosque members immediately.
"The community is shaken. We're trying to restore the safety and community people felt in the mosque."
Shaikh says they plan to update their security cameras and are working with the San Francisco police.
"We asked the police department to do their do diligence and try to apprehend the subject and restore that sense of safety and security that we once felt."
Police say officers collected evidence at the scene and the motivation is unknown.
Shaikh had this message for the suspect:
"I would like the individual who committed this act to please come to our mosque. Please contact me, please contact us. We would like to sit down with this person and answer any questions they have about Islam."
Police say it's still early in the investigation.
The leaders don't believe they have had any previous interactions with the suspect.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3wUkcbO
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