Midday Roundup: ISIS connection unclear in Texas shooting

Behind the scenes. The Islamic State (ISIS) has taken credit for a shooting at an anti-Islam event in Garland, Texas, on Sunday, but investigators have not yet found evidence of communication between the terror group and the American perpetrators. Federal investigators are looking for links between overseas militants and Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi of Phoenix. Police killed both men after they opened fire at the “Draw Muhammad” event, a cartoon contest that organizers said they held to promote freedom of speech. One security guard was injured, but no one else was killed. Simpson posted his allegiance to Islam on Twitter just before the attack.

Killed in action. A New York City police officer died Monday after being shot in the face Saturday night. Officer Brian Moore, 25, and his partner were ambushed in Queens in a confrontation with the suspect, whom police identified as Demetrius Blackwell. Blackwell’s charges of attempted murder of two officers will now include murder. Moore is the third NYPD officer killed in the last six months. He had made more than 150 arrests and received several service medals. “In his very brief career, less than five years, he had already proved himself to be an exceptional young officer,” New York Police Commissioner William Bratton said.

Waiting period. Oklahoma could soon join Missouri, South Dakota, and Utah in requiring a 72-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. On April 30, HB 1409 passed the Oklahoma House by a 75–3 vote; the Senate had already passed the measure on April 21 by a count of 41–4. Since 2005, Oklahoma law has required a physician to provide women with information about the procedure at least 24 hours in advance of a scheduled abortion. The information must include the probable gestational age of her unborn child, and the physician must also offer her the opportunity to see an ultrasound image of her baby and listen to her baby’s heartbeat. Gov. Mary Fallin, who on April 13 signed Oklahoma’s Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act, is expected to sign the bill.

Called to the stand. Hillary Clinton has agreed to testify before Congress about attacks in Benghazi, Libya, and her use of private email while secretary of state, her attorney told lawmakers Monday. But Clinton is willing to appear only once before the House Select Committee on Benghazi, not twice as the committee requested last month. Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., had asked for one session to deal with Clinton’s email practices and one to focus on Benghazi.

Migrant tragedy. Survivors say dozens of migrants from Africa died in the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend en route to Europe on rubber boats. A Maltese cargo ship rescued many of the migrants, who had set sail from Libya. A video taken from the ship shows people jumping off their deflating dinghy to catch life preservers tossed by the crew. Five bodies were recovered and were brought ashore today along with about 240 survivors to the port in Catania, Sicily.

WORLD News Group’s Bob Brown and Mary Reichard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.