Three people are dead and one is in custody after a shooting Tuesday afternoon in Chapel Hill.
A press conference was held Wednesday afternoon, with Durham District Attorney Roger Echols, U.S. Attorney Ripley Rand, Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue, and Abdullah Antepli, director of Muslim affairs at Duke University. Listen to the full press conference below:
The suspect’s wife, Karen Hicks, and attorneys, Rob Maitland and Michele English of Maitland Law Firm in Chapel Hill, also held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon:
Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt gave his first interview since the shooting to WCHL:
Suzanne Barakat, brother of Deah Barakat, issued a statement through a press conference on Wednesday afternoon:
Chapel Hill Police have confirmed that a shooting took place shortly after 5:00 pm at the Finley Forest Condos on Summerwalk Circle near the Friday Center. Officers arrived to find three gunshot victims, all three of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. The three victims are 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, of Chapel Hill, 21-year-old Yusor Mohammad, of Chapel Hill, and 19-year-old Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, of Raleigh. A vigil is planned for Wednesday night at 6:30 at the Pit.
Chapel Hill Police say the “preliminary investigation indicates that the crime was motivated by an ongoing neighbor dispute over parking. Hicks is cooperating with investigators and more information may be released at a later time.”
In a release, Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue says, “Our investigators are exploring what could have motivated Mr. Hicks to commit such a senseless and tragic act. 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. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of these young people who lost their lives so needlessly.”
According to United Muslim Relief, Barakat and Mohammad were founding members of the Triangle chapter serving UNC, Duke, and NC State. Abu-Salha was currently serving as an officer with the group, and she organized monthly efforts to help feed the homeless in Raleigh.
46-year-old Craig Stephen Hicks has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Hicks was being held in the Durham County Jail but has since been moved to Central Prison. He is being held without bond. He appeared before a judge Wednesday morning and was told he would be assigned a public defender. He’s scheduled for a probable cause hearing on March 4.
An Alert-Carolina message identified one victim as dental student at UNC, his wife as a student who was set to begin her dental studies in the fall, and the third as a student at NC State. The full statement is below:
The Chapel Hill Police Department has released additional information this morning about Tuesday’s shooting near campus that claimed the lives of three people. It is with deep sadness that we share with you the news that the victims included Deah Barakat, a second-year student in the School of Dentistry, and his wife, Yusor, who had planned to begin her dental studies here in the fall. Her sister, Razan, a student at N.C. State University, was also killed. Chancellor Folt will issue a campus message later this morning when we have more details.
Hicks posted messages on facebook declaring his atheist views, but there is no confirmed connection that religion played a part in these murders. He also posted a photo of a gun on the social media site on January 20:
Meanwhile, friends of the victims have set up a facebook page to honor their lives.
Barakat was working with youcaring.com to raise money for dental relief in Syria.
Congressman David Price released the following statement:
I join our community in shock and sorrow at the shooting of three students in Chapel Hill last night, and in the desire to reach out to the families, friends, and classmates of the victims.
This appalling act of violence has shaken our community’s sense of peace and reminded us once again that we still face serious barriers to mutual acceptance. We must redouble our efforts to bridge the gaps of intolerance and hatred that divide our society.
Our community has been rocked by a horrible crime with the shootings of three young people. On behalf of the Chapel Hill community, I ask that you join with me in remembering the parents, family and friends of Deah Shaddy Barakat, Yusor Mohammad, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, in your thoughts and prayers. I offer them my heartfelt condolences.
The assailant is in custody after turning himself in to police. I have full confidence this crime is being thoroughly investigated. The Chapel Hill Police Department is using all available resources to determine whether hate was a motivating factor. All we know for certain at this time is that it was a senseless and tragic act surrounding a longstanding dispute.
I share strong feelings of outrage and shock with my fellow citizens and University students — as well as concerned people everywhere. We do not know whether anti-Muslim bias played a role in this crime, but I do recognize the fear that members of our community may feel. Chapel Hill is a place for everyone, a place where Muslim lives matter.
These deaths represent an incomprehensible loss. I believe that we can find strength by acknowledging the fear and outrage that this act instills, coming together to ask difficult questions, and lifting up all people in our community who are hurting.
We are heartbroken and grief-stricken by last night’s devastating news, the incredible loss to our school and to the entire Carolina Community. One of the shooting victims killed at an off-campus condominium complex has been identified as second-year dental student Deah Barakat. His wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and his wife’s sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha were also killed in the shooting. Yusor was recently admitted as a member of the incoming DDS Class of 2019. Razan was a sophomore at N.C. State University.
Deah was especially close to those of us at the School of Dentistry. A member of DDS 2017, Deah was known for his kindness, service-driven heart, love of basketball and his sincerity. A native of Raleigh, Deah earned his bachelor’s in business administration from N.C. State in 2013 prior to being admitted into our dental program. Deah was involved in many aspects of our dental school – including research with the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, serving as a co-president of the new Dental Student Ambassadors group and leading the charge for a dental mission trip to Turkey. He was well loved and respected within these walls, and we will feel his loss deeply.
Deah and Yusor were newlyweds, just recently married in December. Yusor, as many of you know, worked with the North Carolina Missions of Mercy clinics – like many of you did and continue to do – prior to her admission to dental school. We were all looking forward to getting to know her as a member of the UNC dental family beginning in April, and we grieve her loss as well.
This is an incredible tragedy for our school, the dental community and the University. Today, everyone here is grieving. Our deepest sympathy goes out to their families and friends.
We encourage students to call Counseling and Psychological Services (919) 966-3658 for additional support; counseling resources are available for students overnight by contacting (919) 966-2281. Faculty and staff may contact our Employee Assistance Program at (877) 314-5841.
This is a terrible shock, and all of us at the school are grieving together. If there is anything we can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate and let us know.
Sincerely,
Jane A. Weintraub
Dean and Alumni Distinguished Professor
Mark Coulter, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Mark Davidson, Church of Reconciliation
Robert E. Dunham, University Presbyterian Church
Jill Edens and Richard Edens, United Church of Chapel Hill
Carl King, University United Methodist Church
Stephen Elkins-Williams, Chapel of the Cross
Will Rose, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
H. Mitchell Simpson, University Baptist Church
Rabbi Jen Feldman, Kehillah Synagogue
Thomas Nixon, St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
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