46-year-old Craig Stephen Hicks of Chapel Hill, NC has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of three Muslim students near the University of North Carolina campus.

The alleged shooter is reported to be an atheist who is, among other things, a fan of the work of Richard Dawkins.

Dawkins has said this about the shootings:

How could any decent person NOT condemn the vile murder of three young US Muslims in Chapel Hill?http://t.co/pdtwnKqYG3 — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Dawkins cited a number of media reports and went a step further by blaming the killings on a “parking dispute in NRA-land”:

A parking dispute in NRA-land. 3 young people tragically murdered in Chapel Hill. A PARKING dispute in gun-land. http://t.co/OL1ax8HHPI — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Parking Dispute Cited in Shooting Deaths of 3 Muslims in North Carolina – WSJ http://t.co/cXUoBpfVea — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Chapel Hill Muslim Students Murdered 'Over Parking Dispute' http://t.co/8GwMlseOWM — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Muslim students' Chapel Hill shooting deaths arose from parking dispute, police say – San Jose Mercury News http://t.co/12AWp36wvW — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.: Police: Parking dispute sparks 3 North Carolina killings | Nation | Columbus Ledger Enquirer http://t.co/5f15ZvNbiO — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Police: Parking Dispute Led to Murder of 3 Young Muslims http://t.co/Im8PRPwEU9 — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Chapel Hill Killings: Motive Appears to be Parking Dispute | Mobile Tribune http://t.co/YG4hCwTwEi — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

The Chapel Hill murderer was an atheist. People are DESPERATE to blame his atheism. But the police now say his motive was parking dispute. — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 11, 2015

Initial police reports don’t blame the NRA. Dawkins added that one on his own.

If the alleged killer had a religious affiliation would Dawkins be so quick to accept “parking dispute” as a motive?

***

Related:

Richard Dawkins wants you to read a book about Pres. Palin and ‘Christian fascism’

Richard Dawkins uses logical fallacy to man-splain feminism

Richard Dawkins issues ‘weaksauce’ apology to women who don’t abort babies with Down syndrome