Man pleads guilty to firing rifle at US mosque

A man has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime for firing a rifle at a mosque next to his home shortly after the deadly attacks in Paris.

Ted Hakey Jr pleaded on Thursday in federal court in Hartford to damaging religious property. Sentencing was set for May 10. The charge carries up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities say the Baitul Aman Mosque in Connecticut was empty and no one was hurt when Hakey opened fire hours after the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Four bullets struck the mosque.

Prosecutors say Hakey's Facebook account contained evidence of animus toward Muslims, including a conversation before the Paris attacks in which he said, "All Muslims must die!!! I hate them all." Hakey remains free on $400 000 bail.

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