FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – In the wake of Monday’s deadly mosque shooting in San Diego, leaders and civil rights advocates gathered Thursday in Fort Bend County to condemn a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim hate.
At a joint press conference, County Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy, District Attorney Brian Middleton, and representatives from CAIR-Texas called for unity and announced immediate safety measures for local houses of worship.
Local Incident Sparks Alert
Local perspective:
While local officials emphasize there is no active threat, anxiety is high following a recent incident at the Ismaili Center in downtown Houston, where an individual entered the building and shouted slurs.
No injuries were reported, but the incident has allegedly put the region’s large Muslim population on high alert.
Big picture view:
An estimated 500,000 Muslims live in the greater Houston area. In Fort Bend County alone, three major mosques—including the Maryam Islamic Center—see big crowds, drawing upwards of 3,000 worshipers every Friday, with nearly 1,000 people attending each hour-long prayer.
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“The Muslim community here — they are teachers. They are officers. And all of them are our neighbors,” Commissioner McCoy said.
Heightened Security Precautions
What’s next:
Following 15–20 inquiries from concerned citizens about local safety, law enforcement agencies—including the Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office—are immediately increasing patrols around area mosques, specifically during designated prayer times.
What you can do:
Officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior, emphasizing that houses of worship must remain safe sanctuaries free from fear.
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