A Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy in Florida was punched 25 times in the face and back by two Muslim inmates Friday, causing him to lose consciousness. The attack occurred after the inmates became enraged that the officer handled the inmate’s Qur’an. The officer searched the book during a routine security check for weapons and contraband, often hidden in hollowed-out books.
In many Islamic countries, even accusations of mishandling a Qur’an could mean death. Muslims believe that since non-Muslims are impure, they cannot touch the Qur’an because the book itself instructs, “No one can touch it except those who are pure.” (56:79) They believe that the non-Muslims are impure because they claim the Qur’an states it: “Indeed the polytheists are impure.” (9:28)
Inmates Carlos Dupree and Marion Leo Gavins Jr. were captured on jail video surveillance footage violently attacking the corrections deputy. The pair were going to a religious meeting and requested to bring their religious items with them. According to standard procedure, the Detention Deputy was instructed to search the inmate’s items.
Inmate Gavins’ allowed the Deputy to search his belongings. However, when the officer tried to search Dupree’s religious items, the inmate told him “he would not allow him to search his Quran.” Prison officials reported that the detention deputy tried to reach for the Quran and Dupree shoved the deputy away. The deputy attempted to detainDupree; however, Gavins shoved him into the wall.
The two inmates launched into a brutal attack on the deputy, repeatedly punching him in the back and face until he lost consciousness. Detention Deputy Meyer heard the assault and rushed in to detain the inmates. Despite Deputy Meyer’s help, Gavins continued punching the injured Detention Deputy. The inmates were finally able to be subdued.
The Detention Deputy was rushed to the hospital with head and back pain along with lacerations to his head, back, and forearm. It was suspected he sustained a concussion from the attack and underwent numerous medical tests. Doctors have since released the officer to continue his recovery at home.
Both Gavins and Dupree were already charged with serious crimes before they attacked the Detention Deputy.
Gavins, 20, was charged with first-degree murder in the 2019 killing of 18-year-old Curtis Gray. Gavins shot the star athlete outside of the ‘Blaze N’ Flame Smoke Shop’ in Palm Coast.
Dupree, 34, had been in jail since December 2020 related to a home invasion robbery. His charges included possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, home invasion with a firearm, wearing a mask while committing a felony, and resisting without violence.
Dupree and Gavins are both being additionally charged with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and depriving an officer of means of protection or communication.
Why are Qurans Allowed in Prisons
America and western nations allow inmates to have copies of the Qur’an, a dangerous book that preaches hate and violence towards non-Muslims. There are dozens of Quranic commandments about waging violent jihad against infidels.
The Qur’an dehumanizes and stigmatizes non-believers, making it easier for Muslims to rationalize attacks in the name of Islam. As reported at Gatestone,
The holiest book of Islam (most of which is about non-Muslims) draws the sharpest of distinctions between Muslims, the best of people (3:110), and non-believers, the worst of creatures (98:6).
Far from teaching universal love, the Quran incessantly preaches the inferiority of non-Muslims, even comparing them to vile animals and gloating over Allah’s hatred of them and his dark plans for their eternal torture. Muslims are told that they are destined to dominate non-believers, against whom harsh treatment is encouraged.
Why is a book filled with supremacy, hatred, threats, hostility, and commands to kill non-Muslims given to violent offenders? The Muslim men were acting in accordance with the Qur’an, a book approved by the prison. Will the prison ban the book and stop putting non-muslims correctional officer’s lives in danger? Is the Florida Department of corrections ignorant about the calls to violence in the Qur’an or terrified of being labeled Islamophobic?
As reported by the Religion of Peace, the Quran contains at least 109 verses that speak of war with nonbelievers, usually based on their status as non-Muslims. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding.
The Qurans violent verses are very clear:
“O believers, fight the unbelievers who are near to you; and let them find in you a harshness, and know that Allah is with the godfearing.” (Qur’an 9:123)
“Fight them, till there is no persecution and religion is all for Allah; then if they give over, surely Allah sees the things they do.” (Qur’an 8:39)
“When your Lord was revealing to the angels, ‘I am with you; so confirm the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers; so strike the necks, and strike every finger of them!” (Qur’an 8:12)
“We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allah of which He had not sent down authority. And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 3:151)
For more violent Qur’an verses, see here. To learn more about what the holiest book of Islam says about non-Muslims, see here.
Unfortunately, there are very few verses of tolerance and peace to balance out those calling for non-believers to be fought and subdued until they either accept humiliation, convert to Islam, or are killed.