Fellow Students Describe Taheri-azar as ‘Helpful,’ ‘Nice’ By Hanna A. Gordola

Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar grew up in North Carolina and attended high school in Charlotte. Friends and co-workers say they remember Taheri-azar as someone who was always ready to help a friend.

“When I found out it was him, I was in a bit of shock in the sense that I actually knew the person that had done it,” said senior Jamilah Taylor. She knows Taheri-azar through a psychology club they restarted last year. She said she can’t understand what could’ve caused him to run an SUV through the Pit.

Taylor said Taheri-azar was very helpful. He even offered to help Taylor with her post-college plans. Taylor said what he did was out of character.

Taheri-azar’s best friend at South Mecklenburg High School, Bobby Matera, echoed Taylor’s views. We talked to him on the phone. He said that in high school, Taheri-azar was very nice.

“I remember one time we made a bet with him,” Matera said. “He lost. And I remember his punishment was he had to say a bad word on camera because I had not even heard him say a bad word. That’s why this is so amazing that this could even be the same person.”

Matera lost contact with Taheri-azar once they went to college. But then, out of the blue, about two years ago, Taheri-azar sent Matera a letter. That’s when Matera noticed changes in Taheri-azar.

In the e-mail message, obtained first by Carolina Week, Taheri-azar writes that after reflecting on his life, he “regretted having said derogatory things” about Matera. And he “apologized for having contributed to any corruption” in his friend’s life.

Matera said he was puzzled by the e-mail. “He was never, in high school, ever devoutly religious or even seemed to care about that,” Matera said.

That’s why Matera and Taylor can’t reconcile Taheri-azar’s action with the person they thought they knew.

Matera said as far as he can remember, Taheri-azar’s family members were not devout Muslims, either.

The Muslim community and the Student Muslim Association were quick to react to Taheri-azar statement that his actions were to avenge the mistreatment of Muslims on campus and around the world.

MSA’s Araf Khan said MSA does not condone Taheri-azar’s action. Members want everyone to understand that Taheri-azar acted as an individual. His actions cannot be justified through Islamic ideology.

Khan said MSA hasn’t made any more statements because its members are concerned for their safety.