Updated at 9:05 a.m.: Hicks reportedly condemned all religions on Facebook, and was a self described “anti-theist”.
This image provided by the Durham County Sheriff’s office shows a booking photo of Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, who was arrested on three counts of murder early Wednesday Feb. 11, 2015.
North Carolina police have charged a man with with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three Muslim students near the University of North Carolina.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, is being held on three counts of first degree murder after allegedly shooting his neighbors, Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Abu-Salha, 19.
Barakat was a doctoral student at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Dentistry. The two women were N.C. State University Students. All three were found dead at the scene in the quiet Finley Forest neighborhood.
Police responded to a report of gunshots at 5:11 p.m. Tuesday.
An investigation is ongoing.
Before his death, Barakat was reportedly raising money with a YouCaring fundraising page to visit Turkey and provide dental care to Syrian refugees. NBC News reported that donations began pouring in after his death, helping exceed the original goal of $20,000 by July. The page has raised over $23,000 so far.
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