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| Chapel Hill shooting: Three young Muslims gunned down in North Carolina family home | Chapel Hill shooting: Three young Muslims gunned down in North Carolina family home |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A family of three young Muslims has been shot dead in their home in a quiet neighbourhood of North Carolina in the US. | A family of three young Muslims has been shot dead in their home in a quiet neighbourhood of North Carolina in the US. |
| Police have named the victims as 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. | Police have named the victims as 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. |
| Officers were called to reports of gunshots at 5.11pm at an apartment block largely housing academics and young professionals on Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill. | Officers were called to reports of gunshots at 5.11pm at an apartment block largely housing academics and young professionals on Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill. |
| The victims were found shot dead at the scene, while some residents described not even being aware there was an incident until police arrived. Sources told local WRAL News that all three had been shot in the head. | The victims were found shot dead at the scene, while some residents described not even being aware there was an incident until police arrived. Sources told local WRAL News that all three had been shot in the head. |
| A 46-year-old man, named by police as Craig Stephen Hicks, has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder. | A 46-year-old man, named by police as Craig Stephen Hicks, has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder. |
| Hicks described himself as an atheist on Facebook and posted regular images and text condemning all religions. Police said he handed himself in last night. | Hicks described himself as an atheist on Facebook and posted regular images and text condemning all religions. Police said he handed himself in last night. |
| In a statement released on Wednesday morning (local time), Chapel Hill Police said that a preliminary investigation suggested the crime was “motivated by an ongoing neighbour dispute over parking”. | |
| Police chief Chris Blue called the killing “senseless and tragic” and said the force's “thoughts are with the families and friends of these young people who lost their lives so needlessly”. | |
| He said: “We understand the concerns about the possibility that this was hate-motivated and we will exhaust every lead to determine if that is the case.” | |
| A 46-year-old man, named by police as Craig Stephen Hicks, has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder The shooting has been met with an outpouring of anger on social media, where people posting new pictures of the victims studying and playing basketball claimed they had been “murdered execution style”. | |
| Some compared the incident to the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris, and others called on Barack Obama and senior religious figures to condemn the attacks. | |
| An American football and basketball fan, Mr Barakat was believed to be a dental student at the University of North Carolina and volunteered with a charity providing emergency dental care to children in Palestine. | An American football and basketball fan, Mr Barakat was believed to be a dental student at the University of North Carolina and volunteered with a charity providing emergency dental care to children in Palestine. |
| He regularly posted on Twitter, and wrote in January: “It's so freaking sad to hear people saying we should ‘kill Jews’ or ‘kill Palestinians’. As if that's going to solve anything.” | He regularly posted on Twitter, and wrote in January: “It's so freaking sad to hear people saying we should ‘kill Jews’ or ‘kill Palestinians’. As if that's going to solve anything.” |
| UNC officials said Mr Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha got married less than two months ago, in late December. She had been planning to begin her own dental studies in Chapel Hill this autumn. | UNC officials said Mr Barakat and Yusor Abu-Salha got married less than two months ago, in late December. She had been planning to begin her own dental studies in Chapel Hill this autumn. |
| Deah Barakat was a dental student at UNC who worked for a charity giving dental care to Palestinian children and refugees Deah Barakat and his wife Yusor at an American football match One of the victims, Razan Abu-Salha, pictured in a post by Deah Barakat describing her as 'the best third wheel ever' The three victims were recently pictured together at the graduation of Yuzor's sister, Razan, who ran a blog showing her interest in photography and art. | Deah Barakat was a dental student at UNC who worked for a charity giving dental care to Palestinian children and refugees Deah Barakat and his wife Yusor at an American football match One of the victims, Razan Abu-Salha, pictured in a post by Deah Barakat describing her as 'the best third wheel ever' The three victims were recently pictured together at the graduation of Yuzor's sister, Razan, who ran a blog showing her interest in photography and art. |
| She had started a degree at North Carolina State University last summer, studying Architecture and Environmental Design, and her Twitter biography read: “I like buildings and other stuff.” | She had started a degree at North Carolina State University last summer, studying Architecture and Environmental Design, and her Twitter biography read: “I like buildings and other stuff.” |
| A community Facebook page set up in the memory of the three victims, called “Our Three Winners”, thanked people for their support and said it would carry “official announcements”. | A community Facebook page set up in the memory of the three victims, called “Our Three Winners”, thanked people for their support and said it would carry “official announcements”. |
| While it was not immediately clear if it was set up by the family, it carried news that funeral arrangements would follow pending an update from the medical examiner. | While it was not immediately clear if it was set up by the family, it carried news that funeral arrangements would follow pending an update from the medical examiner. |
| “It sorrows us all to see what has happened here today,” another statement read. “Please rely on each other and remember these beautiful souls in your happy thoughts. Their faith meant a lot to them, and it is in fact what helps us all feel at peace with the tragedy of their murder.” | “It sorrows us all to see what has happened here today,” another statement read. “Please rely on each other and remember these beautiful souls in your happy thoughts. Their faith meant a lot to them, and it is in fact what helps us all feel at peace with the tragedy of their murder.” |
| Last night, police were forced to turn away people claiming to be family members at the scene of the crime, saying that they would not be able to confirm any more details until Wednesday. | Last night, police were forced to turn away people claiming to be family members at the scene of the crime, saying that they would not be able to confirm any more details until Wednesday. |
| Chapel Hill police officers investigate the scene of shooting 3 confirmed dead near Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill. pic.twitter.com/au4fxAZYnm | Chapel Hill police officers investigate the scene of shooting 3 confirmed dead near Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill. pic.twitter.com/au4fxAZYnm |
| Oh my gosh, just hearing about the #ChapelHillShooting - I'm in shock. | Oh my gosh, just hearing about the #ChapelHillShooting - I'm in shock. |
| RIP Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha. Murdered in North Carolina earlier today. #ChapelHillShooting pic.twitter.com/rsoVFWdDO1 | RIP Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha, and Razan Abu-Salha. Murdered in North Carolina earlier today. #ChapelHillShooting pic.twitter.com/rsoVFWdDO1 |
| I want to see protests, I want to see news coverage, I want to see marches, I want the same outrage expressed in France. #ChapelHillShooting | I want to see protests, I want to see news coverage, I want to see marches, I want the same outrage expressed in France. #ChapelHillShooting |
| RIP to the three #Muslims murdered. I'd like to see the same public uproar as the #CharlieHebdo aftermath. #ChapelHillShooting #chapelhill | RIP to the three #Muslims murdered. I'd like to see the same public uproar as the #CharlieHebdo aftermath. #ChapelHillShooting #chapelhill |
| RIP to the 3 that died in the #chapelhillshooting prayers go out to their family members | RIP to the 3 that died in the #chapelhillshooting prayers go out to their family members |
| My heart goes out to the families affected by the #ChapelHillShooting and I hope swift justice will be served. | My heart goes out to the families affected by the #ChapelHillShooting and I hope swift justice will be served. |
| The video of the dad begging the police to tell him if his son is dead or not really is depressing. #ChapelHillShooting | The video of the dad begging the police to tell him if his son is dead or not really is depressing. #ChapelHillShooting |
| Why isn't his race and religion released? He could be an extremist *insert religion here* for all we know. #ChapelHillShooting | Why isn't his race and religion released? He could be an extremist *insert religion here* for all we know. #ChapelHillShooting |
| Thoughts with the UNC community as we await more news. #ChapelHillShooting | Thoughts with the UNC community as we await more news. #ChapelHillShooting |
| This needs to trend big. What a loss. #ChapelHillShooting #justice | This needs to trend big. What a loss. #ChapelHillShooting #justice |
| Kristen Boling, a UNC student who lives in the building where the shooting took place, told the Daily Tarheel she had been home since 3.45pm but didn’t see or hear anything until police arrived. | Kristen Boling, a UNC student who lives in the building where the shooting took place, told the Daily Tarheel she had been home since 3.45pm but didn’t see or hear anything until police arrived. |
| “It was a regular day when I got off the bus,” she said. “Now it’s chaos and confusion and they’re not telling us what’s going on..” | “It was a regular day when I got off the bus,” she said. “Now it’s chaos and confusion and they’re not telling us what’s going on..” |
| Another resident, Bethany Boring, said: “It’s a really quiet community, a lot of graduate students, professionals and families. I thought it was pretty safe.” | Another resident, Bethany Boring, said: “It’s a really quiet community, a lot of graduate students, professionals and families. I thought it was pretty safe.” |
| The university reportedly put out an alert message to students last night saying that counselling services had been made available. “We know many of you may be feeling unsettled by this news,” it said. | The university reportedly put out an alert message to students last night saying that counselling services had been made available. “We know many of you may be feeling unsettled by this news,” it said. |