Sailor in Chattanooga shooting has died, death toll now 5

Image 1 of 4

Mohammad Youssduf Adbulazeer in an April 2015 booking photo after being detained for a driving offense. (Hamilton County Sheriff's Office/AP)

The Navy said Saturday the sailor shot in Thursday's attack at a military support center in Chattanooga, Tenn. has died.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, 24, was one of three people injured when a gunman opened fire at the center, killing four Marines. The shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism.

Fox News spoke to Smith’s step-grandmother Darlene Proxmire who confirmed he died early Saturday.

Smith was shot three times when a gunman opened fire at the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Thursday morning. He was struck in the right arm, back and stomach, family members told a Kansas newspaper, the Salina Journal, according to the Chattanoogan.

He underwent several surgeries and died around 2:17 a.m. Saturday. His wife and other family members were with him at the hospital when he died.

Smith was a reservist serving on active duty as a logistics specialist in Chattanooga.

Authorities say Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, of Hixson, Tennessee, unleashed a barrage of fire at a recruiting center in Chattanooga, then drove several miles away to the Navy and Marine reserve center, where he shot and killed the Marines, and wounded the sailor.

Abdulazeez was shot to death by police.

Smith grew up in Paulding, Ohio. Beside his wife he leaves behind three young daughters.

Proxmire told Fox News that Smith loved his family and the Navy.

She told WANE-TV that Smith played college baseball on a scholarship until he hurt his shoulder. He joined the Navy soon after the injury.

Proxmire said Smith suffered extensive damage to his colon and liver in the shooting.

Although badly injured he was still able to communicate with his wife at the hospital after emerging from one of the surgeries.

“When he came out he finally responded to them and he gave his wife a thumbs up,” Proxmire told the station.

She said it was terrible what happened.

“You think oh that’s not going to happen to your family, but by gum it can. It can happen anywhere,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.