On the night of August 12th, Arab-American Khalid Jabara was shot on his porch by a neighbour who had been racially harassing him and his family for years. The 37-year-old died in his hometown Tulsa, Oklahoma was killed by 61-year-old Stanley Vernon Majors.
The Jabaras are of Lebanese descent and experienced non-stop harassment and violence from Majors for years preceding the shooting. Majors would shout racial slurs to the family including “dirty Arabs,” “filthy Lebanese”, “Aye-rabs”, and “Mooslems”. He would send threatening emails to the family and threaten them verbally with violence. The Jabara family were Christian immigrants from Lebanon.
Khalid and his mother Haifa secured restraining orders against Majors however Majors torment continued. The threats went a step further when an intoxicated Majors hit Haifa with his car as she was jogging injuring her, after being arrested he was able to post bail and return back next door to the Jabaras.
On the day of the shooting Majors appeared at the window of the Jabara household waving a gun. The police were called and knocked on Majors door to investigate, however when Majors did not answer they informed the Jabaras there was nothing more they could do. Eight minutes after they left Khalid went out to his porch to retrieve his mail where Majors appeared again, Majors shot Khalid four times killing him.
A community vigil was held with over 100 people attending, his older sister Victoria and younger brother Rami were present to remember the life of their sibling. Victoria said, “He was sensitive, talented” while Rami described him as “genuine and generous…he would give his last couple of bucks or dollars to somebody he saw in need.”
The family now want justice, “That this guy hasn’t even see trial once,” Rami said. “Vernon Majors to see his trial, honestly, that’s all we’re asking for. That’s what we asked for the last two times he violated the protective order.”
Majors now faces a charge of first degree murder.
