Police: UNC shooting deaths motivated by parking dispute

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — A long-running parking dispute between neighbors sparked the shooting deaths of three family members at a quiet condominium complex near the University of North Carolina campus, police said today.

Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the Tuesday shooting, Chapel Hill police said. He is in the Durham County Jail and was expected to make a first court appearance today.

Police say Hicks is cooperating, and that their preliminary investigation showed that the parking dispute was the motive.

The victims were identified as Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, of Chapel Hill; Yusor Mohammad, 21, of Chapel Hill; and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, of Raleigh. Barakat and Mohammad were married, and Abu-Salha was Mohammad's sister, according to UNC.

A Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization raised concerns about the motive and asked authorities to address speculation — much of it on social media — about possible anti-Muslim bias.