Rasa - The teenager died Thursday night after his legs were severed when he was hit by an SUV outside the Somali Center of Kansas City. A police spokesman said: "It became pretty clear that this was not an accidental crash, there is a considerable amount of evidence that leads us to believe it was intentional." A male suspect in his 30s was taken into custody. Police said he had a machete and other weapons.
Somali Center officials say a man had been threatening people in the Muslim community for months. According to media reports, that same man pointed a gun at them, threatening to kill them because of their faith.
Community members said they recognize the SUV as the one once covered in anti-Muslim graffiti. A photo taken two months ago showed writing on the back window that read: "Quran is a virus disease woreste [sic] than Ebola."
"We urge federal authorities to get involved in this case in order to send the message that our nation's leaders will not allow American Muslims to be targeted because of their faith," said CAIR-Kansas Chairman Moussa Elbayoumy. "We again ask local, state and national religious and political leaders to speak out against the rising level of anti-Muslim rhetoric in our society, which can and does lead to such violent incidents."
Elbayoumy said he will work with the local Muslim community in developing its response to the killing.
Yesterday, CAIR's Minnesota chapter called on federal law enforcement authorities to investigate vandalism targeting two St. Cloud, Minn., mosques as possible hate crimes.
Last month, CAIR-MN sought a similar investigation of anti-Islam vandalism apparently targeting Muslims in a St. Paul neighborhood.
Also in November, CAIR's Washington state chapter called on law enforcement authorities to investigate vandalism targeting a Muslim cemetery as a possible hate crime.
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