CHAPEL HILL KILLINGS

Chapel Hill neighbors speak of fearing gunman who killed Muslim students (The Guardian)

As shock turned to grief in the North Carolina community where three Muslim students were shot to death on Tuesday, a blurry picture has emerged of the man accused of carrying out the horrific attack.

Craig Stephen Hicks – who was charged on Wednesday with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Deah Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19 – was feared by his neighbours.

The information that has trickled out about the 46-year-old paints him as a second amendment advocate who had a concealed weapons permit and who argued often with his neighbors over parking and loud noises; posted online about his disdain for religion – all religions – and had in past years obsessively watched a film about a disgruntled man who goes on a shooting rampage.