The suspected murder-carjacking death of Saudi Arabian national Abdullah Alkadi has caused tremors through the vast, tightly-knit community of Saudi students in the United States.
Ghadah Alghunaim, co-founder of Saudis in USA, said that Saudi students at home and in the US were following the case closely.
In comments to SUSTG, Ghadah Alghunaim, co-founder of the popular Saudi student social networking group, Saudis in USA, said that the event shook many Saudi students in the US and their families back home, and that many of those students are taking to social media to discuss the tragedy and share concerns.
“Saudi Students here are praying for Alkadi and his family and watching the case closely, and concern has reached back home,” Alghunaim said. “I have phoned and texted family members who are studying in the states to make sure they are cautious.”
Abdullah Alkadi, the 23 year old California State University, Northridge (CSNU) student reportedly sold his car on Craigslist before disappearing. The classified advertisements website is popular among Saudis, particularly for automobile transactions as many buy and sell cars when starting or finishing study abroad in the States.
Abdullah Alkadi. Photo via Twitter.
But Alkadi’s case is causing many students like Alghunaim to steer clear of using Craigslist.
“I do understand that what happened to him could happen anywhere in the world,” Alghunaim said, but questioned the safety of Craigslist given the events surrounding Alkadi’s murder and others that have happened through the site. “It is just hard to get over it easily and return to normal life.”
In a statement, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said, “Craigslist, eBay, all the other opportunities for sales are also opportunities to let unwanted people into your lives…This happened, not the victim’s fault, but with (an) absolutely tragic, tragic outcome.”
One Charged in Death
Alkadi in 2012. Photo via Twitter.
A 28-year-old man, Agustin Rosendo Fernandez, has been charged with one count of capital murder with the special circumstances of murder during a robbery and murder during a carjacking, according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s District Attorney’s office.
“The special circumstance allegations make Fernandez eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole,” the LADA Office said.
The Los Angeles Daily News reported that Alkadi’s brother, Ahmed, was “shocked by his brother’s death but confident justice will be served.” Reached by phone, Ahmed told the LADN: “Regardless of any nationality and religion, he’s a human being and he didn’t deserve to die…He was a peaceful guy. Regardless of any barriers we have with language or religion, he’s a human being. I would like the public to pray for his soul to have peace in eternity.”
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Lucien Zeigler is Research Director for SUSTG.
