The fatal shooting Tuesday of three members of a Muslim family in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has prompted condemnation and calls for introspection and compassion from prominent atheists and atheist groups after reports surfaced Wednesday associating the shooter with such beliefs.
Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was charged Wednesday in the deaths of Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23; Barakat’s wife, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21; and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. An initial police investigation into the deaths suggests that the incident was result of a parking dispute.
The father of the two women, Dr. Mohammad Abu-Salha, was adamant that the killings should be considered a hate crime, and said his daughter had previously described Hicks as “a hateful neighbor,” according to the Raleigh News and Observer.
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American Atheists president David Silverman also released a statement on the shooting saying his organization “condemns violence in any form, including violence against people of faith.” He continued:
No person should be a victim of violence because of their religion. Anyone who would attack a person because of their religious beliefs, or lack thereof, attacks the very foundation of freedom. We must work to understand one another as people and recognize that our differences are an important part of our shared humanity.
The American Humanists Association posted a message on Facebook, saying, “We’re deeply disturbed that this person identified as an atheist, and he must be brought to justice.”
