Rep. Ellison: There Are ‘Enough Facts’ To Pursue North Carolina Shooting as a Hate Crime

‘The parking answer is simply not the whole story’

“I think there are enough facts in the record to pursue that as a line of investigation. There certainly are some facts to indicate that this may — their religion may have been a factor. So, I think that it’s very important that we pursue this and get to the bottom of it. I am confident based on my review of the facts that the parking answer is certainly not the whole story ...

I’ve talked to people in North Carolina, who have told me that there was some history between the people, that there may have been comments about — there may have been some comments referring to, you know, religious clothing or clothing associated with certain religious practices. You know, it’s not — what I want to say is that it’s prudent for us not to jump to a conclusion, but it’s also prudent for us to keep all options open, including the possibility that it was a bias motivated crime. I just think that — I don’t want anybody to jump to any conclusions. I want us to keep our minds open and follow the facts where they lead us ...

They were killed execution-style. So, if the whole story about the parking were accurate, you would think that it would happen at a parking place where there was some kind of an argument. That’s not happened.” 

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