Thousands mourn Chapel Hill shooting victims

Baku. 13 February. REPORT.AZ/ Thousands of mourners have gathered for the funeral of three Muslim students killed in North Carolina.

Report informs referring to the BBC, The father of two of the victims told the crowd they were victims of a hate crime and his pain was indescribable.

His daughters and son-in-law were shot dead at their home in Chapel Hill, and their neighbour charged with murder.

Police say initial indications suggest there was a parking space dispute but they are investigating whether Craig Hicks was motivated by religious hate.

Hicks gave himself up to police and has been charged with killing Deah Shaddy Barakat, wife Yusor Mohammad and her sister Razan.

The BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan said many mourners feel the murders were sparked by something far deeper than a parking row.

Chapel High police chief, Chris Blue, spoke at the service and promised his officers would investigate every lead, including the possibility of hate crime, our correspondent adds.

After a private ceremony with family members in Raleigh, the funeral was held at the athletic fields of North Carolina State University where all three had been a student. Police estimated 5,500 people were in attendance.

At the service's end, about a dozen people carried each to hearses, which headed to an Islamic cemetery outside Raleigh.