Man charged over shooting at York Mosque which police say was 'not hate-related'

Police have charged a man after shots were fired at a mosque in Yorkshire - but have also said they do not believe the incident to be ‘hate-related’.

North Yorkshire Police arrested a 44-year-old man in connection with the incident, which happened at York Mosque in the early hours of Thursday (Jul 30).

The man has been bailed and is due to appear at York Magistrates Court on September 21.

The force has now said they do not believe the incident to be “motivated by anything ideological, hate-related, or specifically targeted against the Muslim community in York”.

Superintendent Ed Haywood-Noble, Senior Operational Commander for York and Selby, said: “This has been a worrying time for everyone connected to York Mosque and all our communities in York.

“In relation to the firing of the air rifle, our investigation has not identified an intention to cause injuries or distress to people.

“As life begins to return to normal in the area, our Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue with high-visibility patrols over the coming days to provide added reassurance for everyone in the city.

“I again thank York Mosque for their understanding and patience during this time, and also our community partners and residents who have given so much support to the intensive police investigation.”

Any witnesses or people with information about the incident are asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 12260145924.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.