3 Muslim students shot in Chapel Hill over parking space

3 Muslim students shot in Chapel Hill over parking space

Questions abound as to whether the killing was hate-motivated.

Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder after the shooting deaths of three Muslim students at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill Tuesday evening, apparently precipitated by an ongoing dispute over a parking space. There has been widespread speculation that the crime was hate-motivated, particularly because of a Facebook page in Hicks’ name describing him as an “Atheists for Equality” supporter. The page also criticizes “radical Christians and radical Muslims” for causing strife in he world. However, police are presently discounting the claims that the crime was hate-related.

The three dead students are 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his 21-year-old wife Yusor Abu-Salha, and Abu-Salha’s sister, Razan Abu-Salha. Barakat was a dentistry student at the University of North Carolina. His wife and her sister were attending North Carolina State University.

Chapel Hill police responded to a report of gunshots at 5:11 Tuesday evening, and found the victims dead at the scene, all shot in the head, prompting social media claims of an “execution-style” killing. Hicks turned himself him to police later in the night. He is said to be operating with investigators, and is being held without bond.

A quote Hicks allegedly wrote on his Facebook page is being widely circulated that says “When it comes to insults, your religion started this, not me. If your religion kept its big mouth shut so would I.” The authenticity of either the post or the Facebook page has not been determined. The hashtags #chapelhillshooting and #MuslimLivesMatter were on the top of Twitter’s trending topics early Wednesday.

The school issued a statement saying they are sensitive to the impact such an incident has on the campus and in the community, and understand that people want to know the facts as soon as possible. They asked that people respect the job the Chapel Hill police have to do as the crime is investigated.

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