News for North Texas

Indictment: Man Helped Plan Garland Cartoon Contest Shooting

The May 3 shooting occured outside the Curtis Culwell Event Center in Garland. The two gunmen in the attack were shot and killed by police.
Stella Chavez

A Phoenix-area man has been charged with helping plan an attack on a provocative cartoon contest in Garland, Texas last month that ended with the two shooters' deaths.

An indictment filed in federal court in Phoenix alleges that Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem hosted the gunmen in his home beginning in January and provided the guns they used in the May 3 shooting.

Nadir Soofi and Elton Simpson were killed by police after they opened fire outside the event in Garland, where attendees drew cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that are deemed offensive to Muslims.

The indictment says Kareem practiced shooting with Simpson and Soofi in the desert outside Phoenix between January and May.

Kareem is charged with conspiracy, making false statements and interstate transportation of firearms with intent to commit a felony.

This report was provided by the Associated Press.

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