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Thousands mourn Chapel Hill shooting victims | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Thousands of mourners have gathered for the funeral of three Muslim students killed in North Carolina. | |
The father of two of the victims addressed the crowd and said they had been victims of a hate crime. | |
His daughters and son-in-law were shot dead at their home in Chapel Hill, and their neighbour charged with murder. | |
Police say initial indications suggest there was a parking space dispute but they are investigating whether Craig Hicks was motivated by religious hate. | |
Hicks gave himself up to police and has been charged with killing Deah Shaddy Barakat, wife Yusor Mohammad and her sister Razan. | |
After a private ceremony with family members, the funeral was held at the athletic fields of North Carolina State University where all three had been a student. Police estimated 5,500 people were in attendance. | |
At the service's end, about a dozen people carried each to hearses, which headed to an Islamic cemetery outside Raleigh. | |
At the scene - Tara McKelvey, BBC News | |
The funerals are over, and people are now heading to the burial site. | |
"It was the biggest funeral I've ever been to," said Nisrin Shabin. "They kept coming, it was magical." | |
Ghada Salameh, says she attended the couple's wedding in December - and now their funeral. "I guess it is a hate crime." | |
Radmehr, a 15-year-old student whose family is originally from Iran, said: "I think it was probably against our religion." | |
His father, Samad says: "I'm really not too religious but I felt bad for them. They were good people." | |
Neighbours stunned by triple murder | Neighbours stunned by triple murder |
In pictures: Chapel Hill vigils | In pictures: Chapel Hill vigils |
#BBCTrending: Why activists believe it was a hate crime | #BBCTrending: Why activists believe it was a hate crime |
Mr Hicks' Facebook profile included a photo that read "Atheists for Equality". He also frequently posted quotes critical of religion. | |
Relatives of the victims believe it was a hate crime. | |
Mr Barakat's brother Farris told the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan that Hicks had threatened his brother and his family with a gun. | |
The father of the two sisters killed said Mr Hicks had killed them "execution style". | The father of the two sisters killed said Mr Hicks had killed them "execution style". |
But Mr Hicks' wife Karen said the incident had nothing to do with religion and her husband treated everyone equally. | But Mr Hicks' wife Karen said the incident had nothing to do with religion and her husband treated everyone equally. |
A candlelit vigil was held at the University of North Carolina on Wednesday night. | A candlelit vigil was held at the University of North Carolina on Wednesday night. |
Barakat was a dental student at the university and his wife was planning to enrol in the school in the next term. | Barakat was a dental student at the university and his wife was planning to enrol in the school in the next term. |
Muslim and civil rights organisations are organising more vigils across the country for Thursday evening. The funerals are taking place in the neighbouring town of Raleigh. | Muslim and civil rights organisations are organising more vigils across the country for Thursday evening. The funerals are taking place in the neighbouring town of Raleigh. |
Mr Hicks apparently had a history of conflicts with neighbours over parking spaces. | Mr Hicks apparently had a history of conflicts with neighbours over parking spaces. |
Michael Nam told the BBC that Mr Hicks once confronted him with a gun holstered on his hip. | Michael Nam told the BBC that Mr Hicks once confronted him with a gun holstered on his hip. |
The murders have resonated both within US and around the world, especially on social media. The hashtag #ChapelHillShooting has been used hundreds of thousands of times. | The murders have resonated both within US and around the world, especially on social media. The hashtag #ChapelHillShooting has been used hundreds of thousands of times. |
There has been criticism of a perceived lack of coverage in the mainstream media with the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter mentioned almost 100,000 times in the day following the shooting. | There has been criticism of a perceived lack of coverage in the mainstream media with the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter mentioned almost 100,000 times in the day following the shooting. |
Jane Weintraub, the dean of the University of North Carolina dental school, called Barakat "a bright light" who would be remembered for his "incredible heart for service" and "his leadership". | Jane Weintraub, the dean of the University of North Carolina dental school, called Barakat "a bright light" who would be remembered for his "incredible heart for service" and "his leadership". |
"I don't know what I'm going to do on Saturday mornings when it's time for family breakfast," Barakat's brother, Farris, told the candlelight vigil on Wednesday. | "I don't know what I'm going to do on Saturday mornings when it's time for family breakfast," Barakat's brother, Farris, told the candlelight vigil on Wednesday. |
"We lost three great citizens of the world and of this country, but I think they've inspired thousands." | "We lost three great citizens of the world and of this country, but I think they've inspired thousands." |