Political correctness has once again trumped public safety. Two of the alleged San Bernardino shooters, Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, have been identified as a Muslim married couple. Officials continue to investigate a house associated with Syed Farook. A man working near the home noticed a number of suspicious Middle Eastern men in the area during the weeks leading up to the shooting, but didn’t report anything because he thought it might be considered racist.

Thus far, the shooters are reported to have killed 14 people and injured 17 at a Christmas party attended by San Bernardino County employees at the Inland Regional Center, which provides care for disabled individuals.⁽¹⁾

A few hours following the shooting, authorities acted on a tip to investigate a home at Center Street in Redlands. Upon arriving at the home, the suspects fled in a dark SUV. Police pursued the vehicle until they ended up in San Bernardino, where a shootout ensued.⁽¹⁾

Both Farook and Malik were killed by police officers during the gun battle. Sources report that both suspects were armed with assault rifles and handguns. A third suspect who left the shooting scene was later detained by police officers after a massive manhunt.⁽¹⁾

Sources report that one police officer was injured in the shooting by a ricochet. The police officer’s injury doesn’t appear to be critical.

The Redlands house is believe to be the home of Farook’s sister and mother. A neighbor in the Redlands was shocked that the shooters had ties to the area. “I was in awe that it was happening four houses down from my property,” one neighbor said, as reported by CBS News.⁽¹⁾

Not all the neighbors were shocked that terrorists were operating in their neighborhood, however. One man reported seeing a half-dozen Middle Eastern men acting suspiciously in the area in recent weeks. The man didn’t report the suspicious activity out of fear that he would be labeled as a bigot or Islamophobe.

“We sat around lunch thinking, ‘What were they doing around the neighborhood?’” he said. “We’d see them leave where they’re raiding the apartment.”⁽¹⁾

It’s impossible to say with certainty that, if the neighbor had reported these suspicious activities to authorities, it would have thwarted the shooting. Nevertheless, they at least would have had a chance. The neighbor failed to report anything, because the liberal media has conflated the most mild criticism of Muslims as a form of politically incorrect racial profiling.

“This is the problem,” LAPD homicide detective Mark Fuhrman said on Hannity. “When you make political correctness ahead of justice, you’re not going to get justice.”⁽²⁾

“It’s just not going to happen,” he added.⁽²⁾

Sources include:

(1) LosAngeles.CBSLocal.com

(2) Insider.FoxNews.com