The FBI opened a preliminary parallel investigation on Thursday into the murder of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that occurred on Tuesday.
The students -- Deah Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and her sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha -- were allegedly shot and killed by Craig Stephen Hicks in a possible hate crime, meaning they may have been targeted for their religion.
The FBI "opened a parallel preliminary inquiry to determine whether or not any federal laws were violated related to the case," Shelley Lynch, an FBI public affairs specialist in the Charlotte office, wrote in a statement provided to Mashable. The agency is also "continuing to provide assistance to the Chapel Hill Police Department to process evidence related to a triple homicide investigation."
FBI spokesperson Paul Bresson was quick to caution that this "is not a full field investigation," but did say they would look at evidence to determine whether a hate crime may have occurred.
"We're taking a look further to see if there are any further violations of federal law," Bresson told Mashable.
Many family members of the victims have been adamant that the shooting was rooted in hate.
"This has hate crime written all over it," Mohammad Abu-Salha, the father of Yusor and Razan, said at their funeral on Thursday. He called on President Barack Obama to get the FBI involved.
"If they don't listen," he said on stage, "I will yell."