Iranian-American sentenced for car rampage at US campus
Washington, 27 August (IranVNC)—Mohammad Taheri-Azar, a naturalized US citizen from Iran and a former student, was sentenced to up to 33-years in prison today for attempting to run people over with his sport utility vehicle at the University of North Carolina in 2006, AP reports.
By: IranVNC
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
13:03GMT—9:03AM/EST
STUDENT – RAMPAGE – UNC – IRAN
Washington, 27 August (IranVNC)—Mohammad Taheri-Azar, a naturalized US citizen from Iran and a former student, was sentenced to up to 33-years in prison today for attempting to run people over with his sport utility vehicle at the University of North Carolina in 2006, AP reports.
Earlier this month, the 25-year old pleaded guilty to nine counts of attempted murder for plowing his car into a popular gathering area on campus called The Pit.
Derek Poarch, chief of the university’s police department, confirmed that Taheri-Azar had told investigators that he wanted to "avenge the deaths or murders of Muslims around the world," the website of the American news network, ABC, reported.
None of the victims from the attack were hospitalized overnight but most suffered from broken bones, cuts and bruises.
Taheri-Azar did not testify in court, but his sister spoke on his behalf, the Daily Tar Heel reports.
The original charges were consolidated to two counts of attempted murder. Taheri-Azar was sentenced to between 13 and 16.5 years for each count, AP reports.
Sources: Associated Press, Daily Tar Heel, ABC website
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