(Outspoken Iranian Feminist) Med student shot to death near Galleria (possible political hit?)

HOUSTON CHRONICLE ^ | Updated 11:17 a.m., Tuesday, January 17, 2012 | By Dale Lezon, Zain Shauk and Mike Glenn

[a fool in paradise]

...Gelareh Bagherzadeh was studying molecular genetic technology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She was of Iranian descent and was active in promoting Iranian women's rights, Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties said. She was a vocal critic of the Iranian government, according to prior interviews with the Houston Chronicle.

Whether discrimination or her personal background was connected to her death was not clear, Senties said.

"At this point, it does not appear that she was targeted," Senties said. Investigators do not know the motive for the shooting, he said.

Bagherzadeh was shot about 12:30 a.m. outside the family's home in the 800 block of Augusta near Sugar Hill. After she was shot, Bagherzadeh crashed into property on the townhome complex.

Police said nothing appeared to be stolen from the vehicle.

...Bagherzadeh apparently telephoned her former boyfriend moments before her death. Lorena Lopez said she was with the former boyfriend when he got the call.

"He said she screamed for her life," Lopez said while standing near the spot where the young woman was slain.

"He heard (tires) screeching and assumed it was a car accident," Lopez said. "He didn't hear a gunshot."

...Bagherzadeh participated in protests against the Iranian government in 2010 and was among those calling for a change in the current regime as demonstrators in Tehran pushed for revolution.

At the time, she, like other outspoken protesters, requested that her last name not be used in a Houston Chronicle online video because she feared persecution.

"We want change and we want freedom in our country," she said in the video.

She was an organizing member of SabzHouston, a group that pushed for political change in Iran.

...Anyone with information on the shooting should call the Houston Police Department at 713-308-3600.

[a fool in paradise]

Houston PING

[GonzoGOP]

OK so they can't get to the Israelis so it looks like Iran is trying to bring the fight here. Game On!

[isthisnickcool]

Honor killing?

[rawhide]

[rawhide]

[Rappini]

Looks like Tit for Tat.

[Ron H.]

I guess she wasn’t paying attention when the lesson that actions have consequences was being taught. As a young man I learned that anyone can be gotten to anywhere. Sad but true.

[a fool in paradise]

So far the family does not seem to have been in opposition to her advocacy.

And the Daily Mail in England has given the story international legs (I think they used the Fox affiliate’s coverage for the story).

Now if someone had been seen dressed as Santa, running away, the national news would be all over this.

[bayouranger]

Very nice area but there are plenty of koranimals in Houston.

Just look at the islamic school over on Voss.

[Palladin]

Very sad.

I hpoe the cops down there catch the animal who did this.

[af_vet_rr]

She was of Iranian descent and was active in promoting Iranian women's rights, Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties said. She was a vocal critic of the Iranian government, according to prior interviews with the Houston Chronicle.

Whether discrimination or her personal background was connected to her death was not clear, Senties said.

Maybe it's not clear to Stevie Wonder, but pretty clear to me. I have a hard time believing somebody working against the Iranian government is murdered for no reason - no robbery or assault, no car theft. Something smells fishy.