TULSA (KOKH) — An Oklahoma family devastated by the murder of their brother, in what they’re calling a hate crime. Monday night the Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is also speaking out about this Tulsa shooting.
A 37-year-old man’s life brutally ripped away by Stanley Major. He’s been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Khalid Jabara Friday night in Tulsa.
“Just horror and sadness that a life is senselessly lost to this kind of violence,” said Veronica Laizure, Civil Rights Director of Cair-Oklahoma.
The Jabara family released a statement on Facebook. They say that Majors was a neighbor who had repeatedly attacked the family, and violated a protective order filed against him. The statement says that Majors had called the family ‘dirty Arabs,’ ‘filthy Lebanese’ and ‘Mooslems.’
“It does have a very real impact and it is very scary to think that some of that language may be making its way into our neighborhoods and communities,” said Laizure.
Court documents show Majors was arrested in September of 2015 for assault with a deadly weapon after reportedly running down Jabara’s mother with a car and leaving her for dead.
“The frustration that we continue to see anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, xenophobic rhetoric and hate speech that has unfortunately lead up to a tragedy like this,” said Laizure.
Monday night CAIR-OK leaders say they are shocked. They say they’re grateful for the help of law enforcement, but the community needs to put a stop to this type of violence.
“We want the community to be aware that this negative, xenophobic rhetoric does have an impact, it does affect people’s lives and it’s dangerous to let that continue,” said Laizure.
Majors was arrested and booked into the Tulsa County Jail on charges of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Monday night he’s being held without bond.
CAIR-OK leaders say if you see someone being threatened or you are a victim of hate speech to report it to police and their organization right away.