| University of North Carolina SUV attack | |
|---|---|
 The Pit, where the attack occurred | |
| Location | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 35°54′36″N 79°2′55″W / 35.91000°N 79.04861°W |
| Date | March 3, 2006 12:01 p.m.[1] (UTC) |
Attack type | Vehicular assault, attempted mass murder, Islamic terrorism |
| Weapon | 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injured | 9 |
| Perpetrator | Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar |
| Motive | "Avenge" killing of Muslims worldwide |
On March 3, 2006, Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar intentionally hit people with a sport utility vehicle on the campus of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill to "avenge the deaths of Muslims worldwide" and to "punish" the United States government. While no one was killed in the vehicle-ramming attack, nine people were injured (none seriously).
Shortly after the attack, he turned himself in and was arrested. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of attempted first-degree murder, and in 2008, was sentenced to 33 years in prison, on two counts of attempted murder.[2]
In one letter, Taheri-azar wrote, "I was aiming to follow in the footsteps of one of my role models, Mohamed Atta, one of the 9/11 hijackers, who obtained a doctorate degree."[3] He told investigators he wanted to "avenge the deaths or murders of Muslims around the world."[4]
- ^ "Pit pandemonium". The Daily Tar Heel. Chapel Hill, NC. March 6, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
- ^ "Taheri-azar heads to prison for Pit attack". The News & Observer. Raleigh, NC. March 6, 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
- ^ Schuster, Henry (May 25, 2006). "What is terrorism?". Special Report: Tracking Terror. Atlanta, GA: CNN.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
- ^ Johnson, Alex (July 15, 2016). "A Short History of Vehicles Being Used as Deadly Weapons". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 18, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.