Authorities yet to determine if it’s a hate crime or not.
By Raif Karerat
A Muslim family In Orlando, Florida, were left wondering whether they were victims of a hate crime after multiple shots were fired into their house over the weekend.
According to Orlando’s WKMG, Amir and Nehal Elmasri noticed a bullet hole in their garage door when they returned home to their gated community after feeding the homeless Sunday morning,. The family said that the bullet went through their garage and into their master bedroom.
The bullet stopped after getting lodged in a dresser drawer. Other bullet holes were found throughout the house, but fortunately no one was injured.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Florida said that it is investigating the case with their attorneys to determine whether the family was targeted.
“The American Muslim community has faced severe backlash since the Paris terror attacks,” said Rasha Mubarak with CAIR Florida. “There have been two death threats to local mosques in Central Florida alone.”
Nehal Elmasri told WKMG that she and her daughter wear traditional hijabs in public, adding that it’s obvious for anyone to be aware of their Muslim faith. Neighbors told the news station that they believed the family was targeted because of their faith.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has not released whether the incident is being called designated a hate crime, only stating that there is an ongoing investigation.
Amir Elmasri said he’s lived in the United States for 32 years and has never experienced anything like the intended violence that could have torn his family apart, stating that his beliefs don’t tolerate violence.
“You go and read what [Islamic] teaching is, unbiased, just the books about Islam or the Quran translated and you will see, it is not the teaching,” he attested.