Losing Our Sons: Unlikely bond over tragic killing, part 1

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-- homegrown terrorism is an escalating problem in the United States.

Since the attacks of 9/11 there's been a steady increase of cases of domestic radicalization.

With dozens of American Muslims charged in plots against America.

The majority of plots or stop I want horsemen and the intelligence community before they're carried out.

-- -- in the first 2009.

Mark the first successful al-Qaeda murder on US soil since the 9/11 attacks.

Witnesses said he heard five to six shots just I believe this is having to say -- movement in advance.

Specifically targeting the united states military June 1 2009.

Private William long arrived at the Little Rock, Arkansas army navy recruiting office.

There's some of the United States veterans and recent recruited the US army.

He was there to receive -- time before being sent to Korea -- his first overseas trip as a soldier.

But at 10:19.

AM in the heartland of America.

Private William long was shot and killed the shooter Abdul Hakim Mohamed.

-- -- through Florida -- But we'll up open field and our president what would go just Central Park we've.

Then I have a lot full of blood it's gonna make -- of the pride and also just started you know our you know.

Mohammed was born Carlos Bledsoe and raised a Baptist in Memphis by a loving family after attending college in Tennessee State University.

-- again three putting the Islam center of Nashville there.

He would listen to the preteens and -- imam.

-- -- -- -- -- after a year and a half trip to Yemen Carlos fully immersed himself in the way of radical Islam.

He returned to the US and moved to Little Rock.

Where he set out on his own personal Jihad mission.

That led into the Arkansas recruiting office Abdul Hakim Mohamed was convicted for murder in Arkansas State court and sentenced to life in prison.

-- no chance of parole.

This tragedy has brought together the fathers of the shooter and the victim.

Who became friends after the murder trial.

They're now working together to keep other Americans.

From becoming radicalized.

Fish story is told -- remarkable new documentary -- losing our sons.

Please welcome Melvin Bledsoe and -- long.

Okay.

The -- Sons and very tragic ways Melvin you lost your son to radical Islam and now out of prison.

And -- you've lost your son to a shooting.

It's hard for me to understand how the two of you can sit their shoulder to shoulder.

Given.

The way that your lives have intersected through your sons how can you do that.

-- -- and his family are as much victims as we are 1019 he lost his son.

At 1019 I lost myself.

The the tragedy -- it is it's goes unrecognized.

That this was an act of terror.

For me I can speak in the end there's a degree of sympathy for me because I've lost my son.

Melvin has been speaking out since the days of of the shooting.

-- trying to identify what caused his son to do -- did.

-- -- tell me about today on June 1 2009 you got a phone call and you were told that your son.

Had.

Shot two individuals and army recruiting station I -- -- tell me what went through your mind and how were you even surprise when this call came here.

I was totally shocked.

Is unbelievable.

My son was working for I would extend -- company in Little Rock we couldn't reach -- that morning my telephone.

Got a call from the locations and no one was working so we try to reach him by telephone we didn't reach and so we got in a car -- -- -- Iraq.

At a time we got -- -- got a call from the FBI.

And they said to me or myself well it just sign.

It has been involving -- shooting -- something bad has happened.

And my wife listened to the other side.

My heart.

Dropped to my shoes.

And -- not that tell my wife would you just tell me.

Who was told to shop.

-- your wife was actually sitting in the parking lot.

Fifty feet.

From the shooting itself she saw the whole thing.

Tell me how you -- did she call you -- tell you what happened.

-- -- wanted to -- was she is suing -- seeing Quinn needs you grow the other soldier myself and about the recruiting office and she was going to get up and go talk to.

And when she Saudi had a friend -- she decided stay in the car.

At that time she heard three bursts of gunfire and she kind of went into shock a soldier came over and grabbed her and took her around -- I got a phone call from her.

And she told me that and he's been shot they're doing CPR on so what.

And and it just went from there and then you go down the emergency room.

And they tell these past.

So it was.

She was there.

In -- fifteen soldiers that were inside that recruiting office that seems to be lost.

On and on a lot of things so the that he could've been a lot worse I mean he could've stopped and go on -- you bit fortunately.

Only one died but if that one person's death.

Is not used as a wakeup call.

To this country then.

There's -- opportunity lost in his deaths in --

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Losing Our Sons: Unlikely bond over tragic killing, part 1

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