A Muslim civil rights organization is urging mosques in the D.C. area to increase security after a man entered a mosque in Northern Virginia on Saturday and tried to stab a guard.
Fairfax County Police said officers responded to a report of a man with a knife at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center on Saturday before 3 p.m.
According to police, a suspect later identified as Jonathan Lincoln, 41, of Falls Church tried to stab the guard and then pointed the knife at several people while leaving. No one was injured.
Lincoln has been charged with two counts of assault and disorderly conduct, the department said in a post on social media. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued recommendations for mosques on Sunday.
“We urge mosques and Islamic centers in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to enhance safety and security measures, particularly during the activities associated with the end of the Ramadan fast,” Huzaifa Shahbaz of CAIR said in a statement.
Police did not immediately release any information on the suspect's possible motive.
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Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
