Random Act of Terror?

Yesterday, there was news reports of an SUV crashing into a bunch of people on the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill campus. What could have been an unfortunate accident turned out to be something quite different.

The driver, Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, purposefully and willfully drove his rental SUV into the crowd as per his interrogation by police indicates.

The reason he did so?

Sources say Taheriazar told police he was seeking retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world, according to ABC News justice correspondent Pierre Thomas. Taheriazar apparently told police he tried to rent the biggest SUV he could find to use in the attack.

By Friday afternoon, a police SWAT team had surrounded a Carrboro apartment complex where Taheriazar reportedly lived.

Michelle Malkin, as usual, has more.

Taheriazar is going to be charged with multiple counts of attempted murder, and it is lucky that no one was seriously hurt.

Five students and a visiting scholar were treated at UNC Hospitals for minor injuries. Five were discharged and the sixth person was not expected to be admitted to the hospital, the university said in a statement.

Three other people declined treatment at the scene, police said.

The incident happened just before noon near the center of campus in an area known as The Pit, a sunken, brick-paved area surrounded by two libraries, a dining hall and the student union.

The FBI is now involved in the case because of statements he made to the local police and the FBI is working to determine the motive.

Investigators are also searching his apartment for evidence, but have declined to say what they've found thus far. The State Bureau of Investigation bomb squad had spent more than four hours searching his apartment in Carrboro before declaring the property clear.

According to this story, the car had an Enterprise Rent-A-Car sticker on the bumper. Confederate Yankee wonders how Taheriazar rented the vehicle. He is 22. However, as this Washington Post article notes from 2005, many of the rental companies have amended their rental policy to permit rental to persons aged 21-25, albeit some impose a surcharge. Hertz apparently still has a 25 year old age restriction (as of the 2005 writing).

So, one has to wonder - did he have assistance in renting the vehicle or provide false information to obtain the rental SUV? Or, is this aspect a nonstarter?

Others covering the story from the outset: The Jawa Report, Opinion Bug (who wonders why the media is not being more forthright about the religious angle of this story), Sister Toldjah.

UPDATE:
Survival Theory is blogging from the Triangle in North Carolina. She's got some additional background on Taheriazar.