3 Muslim students shot dead in US

NORTH CAROLINA: An American gunman shot dead three young Muslim students near the University of North Carolina, riling Muslim activists on Wednesday who demanded that US state and federal authorities investigate the suspect for possible hate crimes.

Police identified the victims in the Tuesday evening shooting as dental student Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Muhammad, 21, and her sister, Razan Muhammad Abu Salha, 19.

The killer, Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, of Chapel Hill, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, the Chapel Hill Police Department said in a statement.

On Facebook, Hicks’ profile picture reads: ‘Atheists for Equality’ and he frequently posted quotes critical of religion.

On January 20 he posted a photo of a .38-calibre revolver that he said was loaded and belonged to him. “Yes, that is 1 pound 5.1 ounces for my loaded .38 revolver, its holster, and five extra rounds in a speedloader,” the post said.

A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) confirmed that the three students were Muslim.

“Based on the brutal nature of this crime, the past anti-religion statements of the alleged perpetrator, the religious attire of two of the victims, and the rising anti-Muslim rhetoric in American society,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad, adding, “We urge state and federal law enforcement authorities to quickly address speculation of a possible bias motive in this case.”

Police offered no motive for the killings. Hicks was being held at the Durham County Jail, police said.

Officials at the North Carolina State University said Razan Muhammad Abu Salha was a sophomore there and that her sister graduated from the school in December.

The university further stated that Barakat was a second-year student at its dentistry school and his wife was planning on starting there in the next school year. Officers responded to a report of gunshots at 5:11pm local time and found the three victims, who were all pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The shooting sparked the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter on social media, with posters also questioning what role the students’ faith may have played in the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2015.