A California Black man on trial for murder admitted he shot four white men, three of them randomly, and says it was because was fed up with racism.
Kori Ali Muhammad’s explanation for the killings came during a recorded interrogation that was played at his trial in Fresno, California, last week.
“I didn’t want to do nothing to law enforcement so I just found some white men to kill,” he told two detectives following his arrest in 2017.
On April 13, 2017, Muhammad shot and killed Carl Williams III, a 25-year-old security guard at a Fresno Motel 6. Muhammad was at the motel to visit a friend when Williams spotted him and told management. After a manager showed up, Muhammad was asked to sign in and pay a visitor’s fee, which led to an argument. Muhammad eventually paid the fee, but the manager later kicked him and the friend out because the manager allegedly felt threatened.
Moments later, Muhammad approached Williams from behind and shot him. The slaying was caught by a surveillance camera in the motel. He told the detectives he’d felt disrespected by Williams.
“It starts taking its toll on you and you get fed up with the racism,” he stated. “You get tired of letting things slide.”
Muhammad left the scene and went on the run. As he mulled a move to San Diego or Los Angeles, he visited a Starbucks to use its free Wi-Fi. When he connected to the internet, Muhammad found out he was wanted for Williams’ death. It was then he decided to “kill as many white men” as possible since he was “going down for murder.”
On April 18, 2017, Zachary Randalls, a 34-year-old Pacific Gas & Electric employee, died after he was shot while sitting in the front passenger seat of a work vehicle.
“When I walked up to the truck, I saw a Mexican driver and a white guy,” Muhammad told the detectives. “I didn’t want to target the driver, because he was Mexican, so I shot the white dude.”
Two more men, 37-year-old Mark Gassett and 58-year-old David Jackson, apparently were killed later that day by Muhammad..
If Muhammad is convicted for the killings, he faces the death penalty. His legal team is arguing the murders were triggered by mental illness.
