Authorities investigating whether Tennessee shooter inspired by ISIS

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The 24-year-old man accused of gunning down four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee, blogged on Monday that "life is short and bitter" and Muslims should not miss an opportunity to "submit to Allah," according to an organization that tracks extremist groups. He was shot dead in the shooting spree.

The SITE Intelligence Group said a July 13 post written by suspected gunman Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez stressed the sacrifice of the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) “fought Jihad for the sake of Allah." Reuters could not independently verify the blog postings.

While treating the Thursday shootings as "an act of domestic terrorism", the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was too early to speculate on motives.

The blog sharply contrasts with how friends and neighbors described Abdulazeez: a lover of soccer, someone who never caused trouble and who proudly graduated from college as an engineer.

Abdulazeez was a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kuwait in 1990, according to NBC News. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and U.S.-led forces liberated the country several months later.

According to SITE, his mother is from Kuwait and his father from Palestine.

It is unclear when Abdulazeez came to the United States but for many years he lived with his parents in a two-story home in Hixson, a suburb of Chattanooga.

Houses in the neighborhood are one- and two-stories surrounded by well-manicured lawns. He lived on a narrow hilly street, with basketball hoops in many driveways.

Mary Winter, president of the Colonial Shores Neighborhood Association, said she has known Abdulazeez and his family for more than 10 years.

"We are all devastated and in disbelief. He‘s only 24, to do this," she said. "We‘ve known him and his sisters since he was very young. I think only his parents live there now. We‘re all shocked and saddened. He never caused any trouble."

Winston Garth, who recalled playing soccer with Abdulazeez at high school near Chattanooga, said he was incredibly surprised that Abdulazeez was the suspected gunman.

“He was always real quiet,” Garth said. “I just remember him as being really into media studies and making videos, which he was really good at.”

Garth, who now lives in Colorado, can be seen on a 2008 YouTube cliff jumping into water near Chattanooga with Abdulazeez and five other friends.

A Facebook page believed to belong to a family member, Yasmeen Abdulazeez, shows a family of seven smiling with a river in the background, with most of the women wearing head scarves.

A resume posted online and updated as recently as March shows Mohammod Abdulazeez was trying to find work as an electrical engineer. He graduated in September 2012 with a bachelor‘s degree in that field from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, according to the posted resume. He attended Red Bank High School in Chattanooga.

He worked as an intern at Mohawk Industries Inc, a carpet manufacturer, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides power to the area. He most recently worked with Global Trade Express, according to the posted resume.

This is a breaking news update. Read the original story below.

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials said on Thursday that law enforcement authorities are investigating whether the Chattanooga gunman who killed four Marines was inspired by Islamic State or a similar militant group.

The FBI identified the gunman as Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24. News reports said he was a naturalized American born in Kuwait.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Five people were killed on Thursday including a suspected gunman who opened fire at two military-related facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee in an attack local officials described as brazen, brutal and an act of domestic terrorism.

CBS News quoted two law enforcement officials as saying the suspect was Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez. No motive has yet been given. The suspected shooter, who has not been officially identified, is believed to have lived in the area and acted alone, local police said.

The other four killed were Marines at a Naval Reserve Center, a military official said in Washington, DC.

"We are treating this as an act of domestic terrorism," said Bill Killian, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, adding that no official determination of the nature of the crime had yet been made.

The suspect, seen driving in an open-top Mustang, is believed to have first gone to a joint military recruiting center in a strip mall, and peppered the facility with gunfire. No one was injured in the attack.

"Everybody was at a standstill and as soon as he pulled away everyone scrabbled trying to make sure everyone was OK," said Erica Wright, who works two doors down from the center.

The gunman then drove off to a Naval Reserve Center about 6 miles (10 km) away, fatally shooting the four Marines before being fatally shot himself in a firefight with police.

Three others were wounded in the attacks, including a police officer and a Marine. The shootings began at about 10:45 a.m. local time and ended about 30 minutes later.

"There were numerous Chattanooga and Hamilton County officers who responded. They arrived on the scene extremely quickly. They actively and enthusiastically engaged this brazen criminal, and one of those officers was injured by gunfire from this criminal," Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher told a news conference.

A White House spokesman said President Barack Obama had been told about the shooting.

"The President has been briefed by his national security staff on the Chattanooga shooting, and will continue to get updates as warranted," said spokesman Eric Schultz.

Lockdowns had been put in place at businesses, a college and other facilities near the shooting sites.

The city along the Tennessee River is in the southeastern section of the state just north of the Georgia border. Just over 173,000 people live there, according to a 2013 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau.