Statement on FBI and DOJ Inquiry into the Chapel Hill Murders

Today, Muslim Advocates and 149 leading civil rights, faith, community, and civic groups sent a joint letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to open a full and rigorous federal hate crime investigation into the brutal murders of Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha.

We are grateful that the FBI and the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division have started a preliminary inquiry into these horrific murders.  This is an important step forward toward the ultimate goal: that the Attorney General open a full federal investigation. Now, more than ever, we need our nation’s leaders to send a clear message that violent attacks on American Muslims will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

To read the full letter and list of signatories, click here.