February 11, 2015
AJC is shocked by the brutal murders of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Deah Barakat, a student at the University of North Carolina; Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, who was to enroll at UNC in the fall; and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, a student at North Carolina State University, were shot dead by a lone gunman at a condominium near the UNC campus.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families, as we await further details from investigators regarding the shooter’s motive for these brutal killings,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “But some things should be absolutely clear and non-negotiable. In America, we must always affirm the sanctity of human life, the blessing of pluralism, and the commitment to freedom of worship for all.”
Craig Stephen Hicks was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Law enforcement authorities have not yet determined if the murders were hate crimes.
