Andrea Mitchell wondered if Chattanooga terrorist Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez's "small-town Tennessee" upbringing had anything to do with his slaughtering of four Marines. Mitchell interviewed a high school classmate of Abdulazeez on the Friday edition of her MSNBC program and asked, "Were guns a big part of activity – social or other activity?...Did he hunt? Did he shoot? I mean, was that just part of small-town Tennessee activity?" She later inquired if "there [was] prejudice against him because of his ethnicity" after 9/11. [video below]
The NBC/MSNBC journalist brought on Valery Levitt, who knew the mass shooter from Red Bank High School, which is near Chattanooga. Mitchell led the interview by asserting that "this has to be very painful – indeed, shocking for people who knew him as a young man." Levitt replied, in part, that she "had many classes with him, and we've joked around. And it's just – you don't expect something like this." The anchor followed up by asking how her former classmate acted during their high school years.
Mitchell then asked her gun question. Levitt replied that "he wasn't one of the guys that I ever heard about...going hunting," and added that "he also didn't really tell a lot of people about his personal life." The journalist later wondered about Abdulazeez's "my name causes national security alerts" yearbook quote, before continuing with her "prejudice" question about his ethnic/religious background.
The transcript of the relevant portion of the Valery Levitt interview from Friday's Andrea Mitchell Reports on MSNBC:
ANDREA MITCHELL: Right now, investigators are digging into the past of the Chattanooga shooter, 24-year-old Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, who – how do you reconcile a young man, described by friends as quiet and friendly, with the person who shot up two military facilities – killing four and injuring more?
Joining me now from Chicago is Valery Levitt, a former high school classmate of the gunman at Red Bank High School. Valery, thanks very much for joining us today. This has to be very painful – indeed, shocking for people who knew him as a young man.
VALERY LEVITT, FMR. CLASSMATE OF GUNMAN: Of course – I mean, you don't expect it to happen in your community. Our high school was only 1,500 people, and everyone knew each other. And I had many classes with him, and we've joked around. And it's just – you don't expect something like this.
MITCHELL: Tell me about him – Mohammod – in high school.
LEVITT: I mean, he was quiet. He had a sarcastic sense of humor. He didn't seem to have a ton of friends outside of school. I know he did wrestling. And he just seemed like a normal guy. Obviously, he was devout in Muslim (sic). And I played soccer with his sister, and she was a really nice girl – and always talked about religion.
MITCHELL: Were guns a big part of activity – social or other activity?
LEVITT: Was what?
MITCHELL: What about guns? Did he – did he hunt? Did he shoot? I mean, was that just part of small-town Tennessee activity?
LEVITT: Actually, he wasn't one of the guys that I ever heard about – you know, going hunting or – he wasn't really that kind of guy. But he also didn't really tell a lot of people about his personal life. I don't think very many people knew much about him. He just was very reserved, and kept to himself mostly.
MITCHELL: And his yearbook quote has drawn a lot of attention, because it said, 'My name causes national security alerts. What does your do?'
LEVITT: Of course – yeah. I mean, at the time, it just seemed like a joke. It – it seemed a little sarcastic – and maybe, a little dark humor – but it didn't seem like something that anyone had to be concerned about. Obviously, it made the cut into the yearbook.
MITCHELL: But – and after 9/11, as you were growing up, was there prejudice against him because of his ethnicity?
LEVITT: Oh, I'm sure there was. And I've seen people posting on Facebook about Muslim people, and how all the stereotypes are true. And, I mean, there's – there's always going to be people like that. But it is the South, and there's more prejudice than – there's not a ton of Muslim families that I knew growing up. I mean, his family is one of the only ones that I personally knew, so a lot of people, I think, are just, kind of, jumping to arms, and just making rush judgments.
