Tonight in Kansas City, Missouri, crowds will gather in hopes of getting people to remember that terror and hatred aren't answers.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 15-year-old boy died after losing too much blood when his legs were severed in what police believe was an intentional attack outside the Somali Center of Kansas City Thursday evening.
He was rushed into surgery at Children’s Mercy Hospital, but did not survive.
The child was getting into a car outside the Somali Center when he was hit by a man driving an SUV near Admiral Boulevard and The Paseo at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
“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,” Sergeant Bill Mahoney with KCPD said.
Today marks a day of prayer for the Islamic community, a day of peace and reflection. By all accounts the driver - who sped up and targeted two young boys had been in the Paseo area before - and members of the community say he had been trouble before. The driver, it appears, wasn't comfortable with people praying peacefully.
Tonight, however, his trouble went beyond what they see frequently - heated words and comments in online forums. Tonight, a young man who was simply walking to worship in peace is dead, his legs severed at the scene as a driver simply couldn't tolerate those who didn't believe as he did.
The Heartland Muslim Council released this statement to the press:
“Kansas City Muslim community is deeply shocked at the hit and run, apparently intentional assault last evening outside a mosque on Admiral Boulevard in Midtown Kansas City. The attack resulted in the death of a teenager and serious injuries to another teenager. Our thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families and friends.
We ask the federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this attack as a possible hate crime.
We commend the Kansas City Police Department for apprehending the suspected killer immediately after the crime. We hope the suspect will be charged and brought to full justice.
In light of the increased attacks on the mosques across the nation, we appeal to the law enforcement departments to provide extra safety and security to the mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim businesses.”
The matter is now being referred to the FBI, who will investigate this as a potential hate crime.
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Federal agents are assisting in the investigation and “also have opened this matter as a federal civil rights investigation as a potential hate crimes violation”, according to FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton.
Patton said she couldn’t release any information on why the case could be considered a hate crime, but Muslim leaders called for such an investigation.
For one family in Kansas City, though, the apprehension of the killer is bitter justice, as there will forever be a place in their home reserved for a child who will not be with them again, due to the hatred of a sick mind.