A person was sentenced to 55 years in jail for killing a Muslim via highway rage in the US Islamophobia Information

Dustin Passarelli shot and killed Afghan-American Mustafa Ayoubi on the facet of the highway in February 2019 after being racially profiled.

A former soldier has been sentenced to 55 years in jail for the “highway rage” killing of a Muslim man after witnesses testified he hurled racial and spiritual insults at his sufferer.

Dustin Passarelli was convicted of homicide in Might, 4 years after he shot and killed 32-year-old Mustafa Ayoubi, an Afghan-American, on a roadside in northwest Indianapolis.

Passarelli adopted Ayobe off Maine Interstate 465 and a verbal altercation ensued, prosecutors mentioned. Witnesses on the scene mentioned Passarelli made a number of Islamophobic feedback and shouted “return to your nation” earlier than opening hearth on Ayoubi.

The case caught the eye of the FBI and occurred at a time when lawmakers within the state of Indiana had been debating new hate crime laws. Six weeks later, they handed new “hate crime” legal guidelines that some argue are ineffective towards hate crimes.

Passarelli, who was not charged with a hate crime, advised police he adopted Ayoubi from the freeway to an condominium advanced and shot him in self-defense after Ayoubi allegedly rolled out one among his automotive home windows. Tried to the touch. He additionally claims he has PTSD from his time within the army.

A autopsy confirmed Ayubi was shot eight occasions – as soon as within the entrance and 7 occasions within the again. Police didn’t discover any proof of injury to Passarelli’s automotive.

Ayubi lived in the US after coming as a refugee from Afghanistan.

After the jury discovered Passarelli responsible, Ayoubi’s sister Zahra mentioned justice had been served. She beforehand described him to Al Jazeera as “variety, caring and really sensible” and a “rock” for his mom.

“A soul too brilliant, wanting hatred, within the depths of the evening.” He was greater than a sufferer, he was a flame, he stood up and put hate to disgrace,” Zahra wrote on Twitter.