Breaking: One Garland Suspect Identified

From ABC News:

One of the suspects in the shooting in Garland, Texas, late Sunday has been identified as Elton Simpson, an Arizona man who was previously the subject of a terror investigation, according to a senior FBI official.

Overnight and today FBI agents and a bomb squad were at Simpson's home in an apartment complex in north Phoenix where a robot is believed to be conducting an initial search of the apartment.

Officials believe Simpson is the person who sent out several Twitter messages prior to the attack on Sunday, in the last one using the hashtag #TexasAttack about half an hour before the shooting....

More information at the link.

URGENT! BREAKING! Shooting At AFDI/Jihad Watch Event In Garland, Texas

IS THIS PARIS/CHARLIE HEBDO HAPPENING IN TEXAS???

Tammy Swofford is at the scene, contacted AoW. Has since been forced (by authorities?) to hang up.  AOW here...I am updating as I am able to do so at the bottom of this blog post.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION EVENT APPARENTLY UNDER ATTACK IN TEXAS

Dallas Morning News:

Breaking: Gunfire reported at anti-Islam event at Garland ISD facility

A spokesman for Garland ISD has confirmed that gunfire was reported at an anti-Islam event at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland ISD.

Initial reports indicated that shots were heard outside the facility where an art show devoted to caricatures of Muhammad was being held.

WFAA-TV (Channel 8) has said an officer was involved in the shooting, and there are reports that SWAT officers had responded to the incident.

KXAS-TV (NBC5) says Garland police were still working to secure the area, and there were reports that officers had sealed the doors to the center.

Opponents had said the American Freedom Defense Initiative's Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest on Sunday would be an attack on Islam. But its organizers said they were simply exercising their right of expression.

The contest, which was offering a top prize of $10,000, has received about 350 entries depicting Muhammad. Caricatures of the Islamic prophet are considered offensive by many Muslims.

In January, a French newspaper that published such cartoons was attacked by terrorists and 12 people died.

As part of its contract with the district, the American Freedom Defense Initiative has paid $10,000 for extra security - nearly $50 for each of about 200 tickets that have been purchased so far. That cost doesn't include private security the group is employing.

AOW cutting in here: The bomb disposal unit has arrived; apparently, two devices were found. Those attending the event have been moved to a safe place and are under armed guard.

The explosive devices are believed to be in the parking lot where those attending the event are parked. Attendees are not allowed to go to their vehicles; buses are being brought in to take the attendees away from Curtis Culwell Center.

While waiting, the attendees are singing "God Bless America," "The Star-Spangled Banner," and other patriotic songs.

I got this information from Tammy Swofford, who is on the ground there and is attending the event.

AOW again...Heavy.com has this information.

midnight rider: per Pam Geller:

Two men with rifles and backpacks attacked police outside our event. A cop was shot; his injuries are not life-threatening, thank Gd. Please keep him in your prayers. The bomb squad has been called to the event site to investigate a backpack left at the event site

. -

AOW here...The lights have now gone off in the safe room. This information via Tammy Swofford, who is on the ground there.

She sent this picture

UPDATE - For some reason blogger is not posting our updates.

UPDATE FROM PASTORIUS - I have to wonder if the Police/authorities are trying to send this story down the rabbit hole by forcing our correspondent Tammy Swofford to turn off her phone and then corraling all attendees into a safe room, AND THEN TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS!

ANOTHER UPDATE - Jihad Watch's site is now inaccessible. It could be that there are too many people attempting to get their news there and the site crashed.

OR IT COULD BE THAT SOMEONE HAS ATTACKED THE SITE AND TAKEN IT DOWN -

IF THAT IS THE CASE, THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS A COORDINATED ATTACK?!?!?!?

UPDATE - GOOD NEWS - JIHAD WATCH IS BACK UP - PAMELA GELLER IS POSTING AT JIHAD WATCH BECAUSE ROBERT IS IN LOCKDOWN AT THE CARTOON CONTEST FACILITY.

UPDATE - At Fox News, commentator Harris Faulkner is getting worked up about this story. She is a conservative black lady, and she's hot, and she seems to cognizant that this is a big, big story.

MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE AS FREE PEOPLE LIVE WITH MUSLIMS WHEN THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CRITICIZE THEIR RELIGION?

In a free society, all loci of power need to be criticized. It is part of our system of checks and balances. It is absolutely necessary that we be free to criticize all religions, businesses, academic insitutions and  government officials. 

That is a necessary part of freedom.

If we are importing Muslims by the tens and hundreds of thousands, granting them political asylum, this is what we are going to get.

It is not that all Muslims are Jihadists. But a percentage of them are. Look in our sidebar under "Game Over". There are 10 posts there featuring statistics that will show you what percentage of Muslims in various countries around the world, including the West, hold anti-Freedom ideas. 

That is the percentage we are dealing with.

and that is why this is happening. 

We can not live with this. We can not abide it for one second.

midnight rider: Fox TV reporting a local Walmart has now been evacuated

UPDATE - This appears to be a Tweet from one of the attackers - 

UPDATE - THE ATTACKERS HAVE BEEN KILLED

VIDEO