[Brother Leon]

A family of three young Muslims have 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, 23, his wife Yusor Mohammad, 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.

The victims were found shot dead at the scene, while some residents described not even being aware there was an incident until police arrived.

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.

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.”

The three victims were recently pictured together at the graduation of his sister-in-law, 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.”

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.

“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.

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..”

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.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-10037734.html

Scary ****. Can't imagine the fear of having someone break into your own home.

The shooter's facebook is doing the rounds online. But I won't post it here. A proud "Militant Atheist". Don't think questions will be asked about atheism though

[Niamh.]

That's very sad. What do they know about the shooter? Did he know them or was this a random "kill all the Muslims" type thing?

[Ninastar]

Disgusting. If it was him I do hope he gets sent to jail for life.

[arista]

America and Guns
bound to happen

[Crimson Dynamo]

people get shot by the hundreds each week in the US

its a regular thing

[Tom4784]

It's incredibly sad, what's sadder is that the US Media will inevitably drag these victims' names through the mud as the media will rarely let Muslims be seen as victims. They'll make it out to be these people's fault somehow.

[Nedusa]

This is sad but in a nation awash with guns and 24 Hr Fox news it doesn't surprise me incidents like these happen.

I haven't seen this story in the main news yet so cannot really comment any further at this time.




.

[kirklancaster]

This is a complete and utter tragedy, a senseless barbaric act which is to be deplored. I have nothing but the greatest sympathy for their families and friends.

[armand.kay]

Disgusting

[GypsyGoth]

[Samm]

R.I.P

[lostalex]

from what i've read, it was more about a neighborly feud, over parking spaces. nothing to do with religion. But don't let the facts get in the way of the media spinning it into a more sensational story.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

people get shot by the hundreds each week in the US

its a regular thing

just like there were hundreds of murders in Europe last week. and hundreds of murders in China, and hundreds of murders in South America.

What's your point?

[armand.kay]

Originally Posted by lostalex

from what i've read, it was more about a neighborly feud, over parking spaces. nothing to do with religion. But don't let the facts get in the way of the media spinning it into a more sensational story.

But from what I've seen the media has pretty much ignored the story. I've only really seen this spoke about on social network sites.

[lostalex]

Originally Posted by armand.kay

But from what I've seen the media has pretty much ignored the story. I've only really seen this spoke about on social network sites.

i first read it on the Guardian yesterday.

[arista]

At Last CNN America is now covering these Murders