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Mosque Vandalized, Leaders Offer To Help Suspect

DENVER (CBS4) - Police are investigating vandalism at a mosque after a rock was thrown through a window.

The rock and broken window were discovered at the Colorado Islamic Society mosque on South Parker Road at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

Colorado Islamic Society vandalism
(credit: CBS)

The mosque is surrounded by a very tall fence, so it's believed the suspect must have hopped the fence to get on the property in the middle of the night.

Surveillance video shows the suspect wandering around, trying to get inside through various doors, even pulling on door handles. He then goes out of frame and a rock is thrown into a window, breaking it. The rock later found inside.

The spokesperson for the Colorado Muslim Society says their community has been under a cloud of fear after the shooting at a mosque in Quebec, but they do not have a motive for Saturday's vandalism.

Colorado Islamic Society vandalism
The aftermath of vandalism at the Colorado Islamic Society mosque on Parker Road (credit: CBS)

The suspect never went inside after the window was broken.

"I want to know personally for the sake of this mosque ... our parishioners and community at large ... does this person have mental health issues or was this drugs and alcohol related and even more so?" said Iman Jodeh with the Colorado Muslim Society. "Did he need something from the mosque? Is there something we need to be providing for him? And if that is the case … I want to make sure we get that to him."

Earlier this month, hundreds gathered at the mosque to show their support for all faiths, including those of the Muslim faith.

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