Fresnomosque

Surprise, a schizophrenic NBA fan.

Via Fresno Bee

The man who vandalized the Islamic Cultural Center on Christmas Day also vandalized and burglarized a business about two miles away because he thought he was getting back at the family of a girl who he believed had disrespected and bullied him, police said Saturday.

Asif Mohammad Khan, 28, who is Muslim, was arrested the day of the burglaries and vandalism at the Fresno Digestive Center, 7405 N. Fresno St., and the Islamic Cultural Center near Nees and Maple avenues.

His older sister describes Khan as having schizophrenia. She said he is a big National Basketball Association fan and was surprised not to see him in the family home Thursday while NBA games were being broadcast.[…]

(Police Chief) Dyer said Khan told detectives the speakers were targeted because he didn’t like the messages expressed by the mosque. He also damaged the American flag because he believed the flag was “not being portrayed in the proper way at the Islamic Cultural Center.”

Video surveillance at the digestive center showed the same blue car parked outside the Islamic Cultural Center, and Khan was arrested wearing the same white shirt worn by the person seen on video from the Islamic Cultural Center, the chief said.

Dyer said that in the days before the vandalism, Khan had posted on social media that Osama bin Laden was the “most inspirational person in his life.” He said Khan also made references to Adolf Hitler.

“I do not know what that reference was about,” Dyer said. “Perhaps that addresses his mental state.”

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