Attorney General Loretta Lynch wouldn’t give many details Sunday about the terrorism investigation into the two San Bernadino shooters, but stressed that her agency is seeking to find out whether they acted independently or in conjunction with an organized group.
Lynch told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the Department of Justice still doesn’t have any evidence that the husband and wife who killed 14 people at a holiday party Wednesday were “part of a large group or cell” or that they had been planning any other attacks.
But she cautioned Americans against drawing any conclusions yet about why they carried out the horrific deed. “That’s what we have at this time,” she said.
Lynch said that since the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, there have been more instances of individuals apparently acting as lone wolves carrying out mass attacks. As a result, investigators need to also “evolve” in how they investigate such crimes, she said.
“The threat has evolved … we see these lone wolf factors,” she said.
President Obama is scheduled to give a speech from the Oval Office on Sunday evening in response to the shooting last week, which has prompted widespread fears that the shooters could have been motivated by the Islamic State.
Asked by host Chuck Todd what the president is likely to say, Lynch responded that Obama “understands the country is very concerned about this issue.”
“I think what you’re going to hear the president say is American people should draw from within themselves and not give into fear at this time,” she said.
