Shooter Craig Hicks. PHOTO: REUTERS
RELATED: Chapel Hill: Three Muslim students killed in US shooting
Warrants were filed in Durham County Superior Court, which included an inventory of weapons seized by police from the Chapel Hill condominium of shooter Craig Stephen Hicks. The 46-year-old was charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Four handguns were listed in the warrants as well as a pistol which the suspect had with him when he turned himself in about an hour after the shootings. Further, two shotguns and six rifles, including a military-style AR-15 carbine were also found.
Police also recovered numerous loaded magazines and cases of ammunition.
In the neighbouring apartment of Deah Barakat, 23, and his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu Salha, 21, eight spent shell-casings were found.
Authorities have not yet revealed how the victims died exactly; however, relatives say all three were shot in the head.
"No one in the United States of America should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship," President Barack Obama said in Washington.
In New York, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said US Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was "deeply moved" by thousands thronging Thursday's funeral.
RELATED: Thousands lay Chapel Hill shooting victims to rest
Jordan's ambassador visited the families on Friday, the embassy in Washington confirmed.
Police in Chapel Hill said they have yet to uncover any evidence Hicks acted out of religious animus, though they are investigating the possibility, however, police cited the a longstanding dispute about parking spaces at the condo community where he lived in the same building as the victims, as a potential motive for the attack.
The FBI is now conducting a "parallel preliminary inquiry" to determine whether any federal laws, including hate crime laws, were violated.
Family members of the slain students are pressing for hate crime charges against the alleged shooter, but legal experts say such cases are relatively rare and can be difficult to prove.
"This has hate crime written all over it," said Dr Mohammad Yousif Abu-Salha, who spoke on Thursday at the funeral for his daughters and son-in-law. "It was not about a parking spot."
Legal experts say that in order to win a hate-crime, prosecutors would have to prove Hicks deliberately targeted because of religion, race or national origin
North Carolina does not have a specific "hate crime" statute, though it has laws covering such acts of "ethnic intimidation" as hanging a noose, burning a cross or setting fire to a church.
A retired top prosecutor of 27 years for North Carolina's largest county, Colon Willoughby said he could remember only a handful of ethnic intimidation cases.
If convicted on murder charges, Hicks will be handed the death penalty or life imprisonment.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ