CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Friday, officials from the FBI's North Carolina office said that along with the police investigation, they, too, are now investigating the shooting deaths of three young Muslims in Chapel Hill along with the police investigation.
Police said that Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, shot 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat; his 21-year-old wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha; and her sister, 19-year-old Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha; Tuesday evening. Police said Hicks shot the three people over an ongoing parking dispute in the condominium complex where he lived with the newlywed couple. The victims' families said that the murders should be considered a hate crime. Hicks is charged with first-degree murder.
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President Obama released the following statement:
"Yesterday, the FBI opened an inquiry into the brutal and outrageous murders of Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, Deah Shaddy Barakat, and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition to the ongoing investigation by local authorities, the FBI is taking steps to determine whether federal laws were violated. No one in the United States of America should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they worship. Michelle and I offer our condolences to the victims' loved ones. As we saw with the overwhelming presence at the funeral of these young Americans, we are all one American family. Whenever anyone is taken from us before their time, we remember how they lived their lives -- and the words of one of the victims should inspire the way we live ours."
"Growing up in America has been such a blessing," Yusor said recently. "It doesn't matter where you come from. There's so many different people from so many different places, of different backgrounds and religions -- but here, we're all one."
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The FBI said Thursday that its preliminary inquiry seeks "to determine whether or not any federal laws were violated" while it works with police in Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill police have said they are investigating whether religious or ethnic hatred motivated Hicks in any way, and federal investigators previously have said hate crimes haven't been ruled out.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.