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Shooting sparks anti-Muslim speculation

February 11, 2015

The murders of three young Muslims in the United States has sparked speculation of a hate crime. The media's coverage of the killings has also been criticized.

https://p.dw.com/p/1EZnT
Chapel Hill police officers investigate the scene of three murders near Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill, N.C. A man, his wife and her sister, all college students, were shot to death at a quiet condominium complex near the University of North Carolina, but police had not yet given a motive or released details about the suspect.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/The News & Observer, Al Drago

The deceased - 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife 21-year-old Yusor Mohammad and her 19-year-old sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha - were found dead in their condominium complex near the University of North Carolina on Tuesday.

Their neighbor, 46-year-old Craig Stephen Hicks, turned himself in and was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He appeared in court on Wednesday morning, and will be held without bond until the next hearing on March 4.

Police say a dispute over parking was the motivation behind the attacks. They say Hicks is cooperating with investigators, and more information may soon be released.

But speculation it was a hate crime has been fueled by revelations Hicks posted anti-religious messages on Facebook.

Although police did not identify the victims as being Muslim, many did so on social media.

In a statement, Nihad Awad from the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the victims' religious attire and America's "rising anti-Muslim rhetoric" made it even more important for authorities to quickly find out if bias had played a role in the crime.

Others called for calm, with Abdullah Antepli, the director of Muslim affairs at the nearby Duke University issuing a statement asking people not to jump to conclusions.

Chapel Hill police said they had not ruled out the possibility, and they would "exhaust every lead to determine if that is the case."

The media's reporting of the killings also came under fire, with some questioning why it took a day for most mainstream outlets to cover it. Many used the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter on Twitter to express their outrage.

Barakat was a second-year dental student at UNC, and his wife was due to begin her studies in the coming school year. They had only recently married.

Abu-Salha was a sophomore at nearby North Carolina State University, which the couple had previously attended.

All three were also involved in humanitarian aid work.

A Facebook page has been set up in memory of the three young people, and a vigil was planned for Wednesday night near the university's Chapel Hill campus.

an/rc (dpa, Reuters, AP)