MUNCIE, Ind. – The U.S. Department of Homeland security is investigating a Ball State University accused of assaulting multiple people including several officers and threatening to kill everyone at a Goodwill store in Muncie last week.
According to court documents, Khalid Sulaiman Bilal, 24, is a native of Saudi Arabia. He faces the following charges: battery with injury; battery with no injury to police; disorderly conduct; strangulation; battery with injury to police; intimidation; and resisting law enforcement.
The charges stem from an incident at the Goodwill store located at 5035 West Hessler Road on March 25 around 1:30 p.m.
Bilal allegedly entered the store and began forcefully trying to convert people to Islam while claiming to be the Prophet Muhammad and trying to place his hands on them. He struck and strangled an employee and told her he would kill her if she didn’t convert to Islam. He attacked responding officers, breaking one of the officer’s hands and repeatedly kicking the other. During the scuffle, Bilal yelled “allahu akbar,” a phrase meaning “God is greater” and commonly used by Islamic radicals before a violent attack, according to an affidavit filed by Homeland Security.
Bilal was transported to Ball Memorial Hospital where he later attacked staff and repeatedly punched an officer in the face.
He is still at the hospital where he will remain until he is taken to the Delaware County Jail.
Bilal’s actions attracted the attention of Homeland Security, and they received a warrant to search his apartment on North Tillotson Avenue on Wednesday.
In the search warrant request, the agent said, “I believe Bilal showed signs of radicalized behavior in the March 25, 2017 incident and is a danger to the community.”
Homeland Security seized an Apple Macbook, a Dell Inspiron laptop, a Canon camera, and travel documents from his home. Ball State University confirmed Bilal is a student there.
