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North Carolina Moms Demand Action Statement in Response to Chapel Hill Shooting Yesterday

2.11.2015

The North Carolina Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America released the below statement in response to yesterday’s tragic shooting in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

While details are still unfolding, news outlets are reporting that a 46-year-old man shot and killed three college students at a nearby condominium complex at 5:11 p.m. yesterday. The victims, Deah Barakat, 23; Barakat’s wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; and Abu-Salha’s sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were pronounced dead at the scene after being shot in the head.

STATEMENT FROM KAAREN HALDEMAN, A VOLUNTEER WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION:

“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. While details are still unfolding, we know the tragedy last night cut short the lives of three smart young people whose parents will never get to see them fulfill their life aspirations. This tragic shooting shows us once again how gun violence is robbing our country of promising young adults at the apex of their lives. Sadly, gun violence is not new to our community and yesterday served as a harsh reminder that gun violence can strike any community, at any time. This is precisely why we must stand together to honor the families and pledge to do more to help prevent gun violence in our communities. Our children’s lives depend on it.”

ADDITIONAL DETAILS AVAILABLE ABOUT THE SHOOTING:

Incident:

  • At 5:11pm on Tuesday, February 10, Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, shot and killed Deah Barakat, 23; Barakat’s wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; and Yusor’s sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, inside a condominium complex on Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill.
  • Police responding to a report of gunshots in the area located the three victims who had been shot. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
  • Hicks turned himself in without incident to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in nearby Pittsboro after the shooting. He was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, and is currently being held in the Durham County Jail. Police are investigating whether his crime was bias-motivated.
  • Though neither police nor university officials have released any information about a motive, news reports quote friends of the victims suggesting that they were targeted for their Muslim faith.

Gunman:

  • The gunman was identified as Craig Stephen Hicks, 46.

Victims: