Posted on 03/03/2006 6:14:40 PM PST by Stayfree
9:14 pm x43
9 injured by SUV at UNC-Chapel Hill Updated: 3/3/2006 7:32 PM By: Associated Press
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UNC Hit-and-Run
The driver of an SUV that sped through the UNC-CH campus, hitting several people, allegedly planned the attack as retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- A recent University of North Carolina graduate faces attempted murder charges after a sport utility vehicle raced through a popular campus gathering spot Friday, hurting nine people and scattering startled bystanders.
Six people -- five students and a visiting scholar -- were treated at UNC Hospitals, though a hospital spokesman said none was seriously injured. Five were released Friday and the sixth wasn't expected to be admitted to the hospital, the university said in a statement. Three other people declined treatment at the scene, police said.
Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, 22, a December graduate, was being held Friday by campus police. They intend to charge him with nine counts of attempted murder and nine counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Capt. George Hare of the UNC Department of Public Safety.
The FBI joined the case because Taheriazar, a native of Iran, "allegedly made statements that he acted to avenge the American treatment of Muslims. The ongoing investigation will work to confirm this," said Special Agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington.
Officials say the incident occurred in front of Lenoir Hall in a gathering area known as The Pit, a popular gathering spot in the center of the campus. Officials say the incident occurred in front of Lenoir Hall in a gathering area known as The Pit, a popular gathering spot in the center of the campus. Taheriazar called police to surrender and then awaited officers on a side street about two miles away from campus, Chapel Hill police Capt. Brian Curran said.
"He kind of gave himself up," said Officer Herbert Bryant of the university's Department of Public Safety.
Local authorities declined to discuss a motive.
"As far as delving into his motives and things like that, we're in the process of developing that in our investigation," Hare said.
The incident happened just before noon near the center of campus at the area known as The Pit, a sunken, brick-paved area surrounded by two libraries, a dining hall and the student union. It does not have any easy access points for vehicles and can't be reached without deliberation.
"I see everyone kind of part because there's a car coming through and the next thing I know, I'm on his windshield," sophomore Jeff Hoffman, his arm in a bandage, told the campus newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel.
Mohammed Reza Taheriazar is led to the back of a police cruiser. Mohammed Reza Taheriazar is led to the back of a police cruiser. Student Nicholas Altman was talking on his cell phone when he heard someone scream.
"I turned around and there was a white SUV. It looked like it hit a couple of people. One person in particular went over the hood," he told WRAL-TV.
On a sunny, cool day like Friday, the Pit is a busy center of campus activities, with students perched along the walkways and steps. Friday's noontime crowd included a gathering of candidates for Black Student Movement elections.
"He slowly came in, and I thought he was going to stop or something," sophomore Scot Wilson, a candidate for BSM vice president, told The Daily Tar Heel. "But then he sped right through."
By 3 p.m., a bomb squad from the State Bureau of Investigation had come to University Commons apartments in nearby Carrboro, where Taheriazar lived, at the request of local police, said SBI spokeswoman Noelle Talley. Carrboro police did not immediately return a call.
The incident came a week after a UNC dormitory resident adviser was killed when he and another student crashed through a dorm window, falling four stories onto the concrete below. The second student remains hospitalized in fair condition.
"avenge the American treatment of mulims"?
I was unaware that we were running any of them over in SUV's. They need to stop visas from muslim countries right now!
This S.O.B. is damn lucky that he didn't try to run or every cop's gun might have accidently discharged in his direction!
I wonder if the university could withdraw his degree? He won't need it in prison anyway. Why should his name be included with the rest of his class for the rest of their lives?
The thread title doesn't resemble the actual source title at all. Post #1 is a nice place to put editorial comments.
***in the first violent attack on Americans since Sept. 11,***
Let's not forget about the attack on the EL-AL airline counter in LA.
Not quite accurate...Terrorism didn't just come ashore...It's been here...It's just starting to show it's ugly face...
There was a terrorist attack in Oklahoma last fall but was bumbled...The Feds covered it up...
The Feds will cover this one as well...Just a simple murderer, not a terrorist...
Our gov't is going to get us all blown up...
Are they all ticking bombs?
There will be people at Chapel Hill that will be sympathetic to the driver.
Not to mention the Malvo shootings in Maryland and Virginia.
Original Headline: "9 injured by SUV at UNC-Chapel Hill"
At Chapel Hill they'll probably apologize to him profusely and give him an honorary doctorate.
An attack by car is what you make when you're too F'ing stupid, pampered and rich to spend time on the Internet to determine how to really kill people....frankly a baseball bat would be more effective in the long term. The question is now, how to punish him? Death would send a very strong signal to the rest of the wannabes like Mohammed Reza Taheriazar.
It's very disturbing to me that here in Raleigh this is NOT being reported as terrorism or anything close to it.
I'm waiting for the 10 p.m. WRAL news to see if they've changed their tune.
Those SUV's sure have a mind of their own.
10 Americans killed by John Mohammed and Lee Malvo. - tom
Thank goodness.
I'm betting plea bargain, counseling and a probation wrist slap by the time the courts are through with him.
Please use the published title when posting an article
Yeah, it really makes a whole lot of sense to run over a pack of flaming Chapel Hill liberals in retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world! </s>
Probly need to include the Anthrax attacks as well.
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