Muslim Student Attacked, Held At Gun Point In Elmhurst, IL

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Tensions that had been boiling at Elmhurst College spilled over this week amid reports that a Muslim student had been physically assaulted by a masked gunman.

The 19-year-old sophomore said she was hit with a gun in a bathroom in the college's science center Thursday night, authorities said. Anti-Muslim graffiti was written on the wall, authorities said, similar to a threat written on the same student's locker the week before that said: "Die Muslims, Rid us of your filth."

As officials at the private college affiliated with the United Church of Christ on Friday called the incident a hate crime, hundreds of students rallied to show solidarity with their Muslim peers, who are about 25 of the school's 3,300 students.

Elmhurst police are investigating, but declined to comment. Friends said the student had hired a lawyer, who did not return calls for comment.

A college spokesman said authorities have not found any witnesses of the attacker, who was described by the woman as a 5-foot-8 male wearing a mask and gloves.

The woman's father said Friday that she said the gunman asked her: " 'Now who is going to protect you?' " He said his daughter replied: " 'God will protect me. . . . You can kill me, but you cannot take my soul.' "

Students have reported tensions on campus since students held a Sept. 18 rally to protest the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, and several witnesses reported that three female Muslim students, including the woman who reported the attack, were harassed and verbally threatened.

Since then, "it's all kind of spiraled out of control," said Soofia Ahmed, president of the Muslim Students Association.

After students were outraged by the graffiti on the woman's locker, they staged a second rally Thursday, and the woman read a poem she had written about the events. Afterward, she said she was attacked.

"This is a blow against our entire community," Elmhurst College President Alan Ray told students at Friday's rally.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...,0,129065.story

[IAMX 3,055]

Those Muslims just hate our freedom and peace loving nature.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

... a 5-foot-8 male ...

What a fcuking #####. Shorty ain't man enough to face a guy, so he's got to take it out on a lady. Fcuking weak ####### #######.

[rocks 494]

... a 5-foot-8 male ...

What a fcuking #####. Shorty ain't man enough to face a guy, so he's got to take it out on a lady. Fcuking weak ####### #######.

yeah, sounds like a serious case of 'small man disease'

horrible

[alienlovechild 75]

The woman's father said Friday that she said the gunman asked her: " 'Now who is going to protect you?' " He said his daughter replied: " 'God will protect me. . . . You can kill me, but you cannot take my soul.' "

That's quick thinking. Most women don't come up with statements like that when they are confronted with a masked gunman in the women's bathroom.

Elmhurst police are investigating, but declined to comment. Friends said the student had hired a lawyer, who did not return calls for comment.

Why does she need a lawyer? Is going to sue the college for big bucks and publicity? Is her name Tawana?

[IAMX 3,055]

... a 5-foot-8 male ...

What a fcuking #####. Shorty ain't man enough to face a guy, so he's got to take it out on a lady. Fcuking weak ####### #######.

His F-150 with lift kit makes him a big man.

[alienlovechild 75]

His F-150 with lift kit makes him a big man.

It was a guy on the lacrosse team. Case closed.

[HAL 9000 96]

Saw the story in the local news today. Nothing surprising nor anything surprising from insensitive posts. Kudos to those of you that placed your sympathies with the victim.

[Scott & Lai 12]

Kudos to those of you that placed your sympathies with the victim.

Only rational place to put symathies in this case.

[S and S 12]

I hope the guy is caught who attacked the woman and that these issues get worked out at the school. I think some people didn't get the concept of freedom of speech and religion.

[jundp 191]

The woman's father said Friday that she said the gunman asked her: " 'Now who is going to protect you?' " He said his daughter replied: " 'God will protect me. . . . You can kill me, but you cannot take my soul.' "

That's quick thinking. Most women don't come up with statements like that when they are confronted with a masked gunman in the women's bathroom.

Elmhurst police are investigating, but declined to comment. Friends said the student had hired a lawyer, who did not return calls for comment.

Why does she need a lawyer? Is going to sue the college for big bucks and publicity? Is her name Tawana?

Are you for real?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The woman's father said Friday that she said the gunman asked her: " 'Now who is going to protect you?' " He said his daughter replied: " 'God will protect me. . . . You can kill me, but you cannot take my soul.' "

That's quick thinking. Most women don't come up with statements like that when they are confronted with a masked gunman in the women's bathroom.

Elmhurst police are investigating, but declined to comment. Friends said the student had hired a lawyer, who did not return calls for comment.

Why does she need a lawyer? Is going to sue the college for big bucks and publicity? Is her name Tawana?

Are you for real?

He is real.

[jundp 191]

Wow.

[IAMX 3,055]

Alien must be an investigator relative to Nancy Grace.

[rocks 494]

I hope the guy is caught who attacked the woman and that these issues get worked out at the school. I think some people didn't get the concept of freedom of speech and religion.

i agree. freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to incite racial hatred. i wish people would grasp that