The tragic killing of three Muslim-American college students in Chapel Hill, N.C., led to a national trend early Wednesday as users flooded Twitter with messages under the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter.
Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were killed at a condominium complex near the University of North Carolina campus. All three victims were shot in the head, sources said.
Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, is being charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of the three students. Following the shooting, Hicks turned himself into the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in Pittsboro, according to police.
While the preliminary investigation into the shooting found that it was likely the tragic end to an “ongoing neighbor dispute over parking,” police have not ruled out the “possibility” that the murders were “hate-motivated,” Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue said in a statement.
The shooting struck a chord online. Twitter users were quick to express grief and anger over the senseless murders of three young students. Photographs of the victims smiling, attending university football games, and clutching one another in graduation caps overwhelmed the #MuslimLivesMatter hashtag.
My cousin, his wife and sister in law were murdered for being muslim. Someone tell me racism/hate crimes don't exist. #MuslimLivesMatter
— Haya Barakat (@HayaBarakat) February 11, 2015
#ChapelHillShooting #MuslimLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/cWGtU6HF1B
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) February 11, 2015
https://twitter.com/saladinahmed/status/565539450739253248
https://twitter.com/aishacs/status/565499682299052037
A few users blamed the media directly, accusing news anchors of stoking fear and hatred towards Muslims.
“Congratulations @FoxNews 4 cultivating hatred & being responsible 4 #ChapelHillShooting,” Palestinian activist Omar Ghraieb wrote.
But mostly, users sought to honor the three victims, two of whom had recently gotten married.
https://twitter.com/TheMoeDee/status/565427870844338176
RIP to the beautiful victims of the #ChapeHillShooting #MuslimLivesMatter ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8aUcV2Ot0Y
— middle eastern boys (@mideastboys) February 11, 2015
My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those senselessly murdered in Chapel Hill last night #MuslimLivesMatter
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) February 11, 2015
https://twitter.com/TheMoeDee/status/565401060865761280
Photo via Our Three Winners/Facebook