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Albuquerque Police say that on Friday night a fourth Muslim man was shot and killed in Southeast Albuquerque. The victim’s name has not been released.
Attorney Ahmad Assed, who serves as the president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, expressed his concern. “It’s a surreal time for us right now, our families and our children. It’s not about just the Muslim community. We do still have a message of hope. We need to catch the perpetrator or perpetrators. Hate will not win. It cannot win.”
APD Chief Harold Medina said there is reason to believe that all four homicides committed over the past nine months are related. Law enforcement has been in constant contact with leaders from the Albuquerque Islamic community to provide security and safety where needed.
Law enforcement believes the murder of 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain last Monday night, as well as two other recent shootings involving Middle Eastern and Muslim residents, may be connected and racially and/or religiously motivated. Mohammad Ahmadi, a 62-year-old Afghanistani man in was shot and killed in November as he stood outside of his halal grocery store. In July, another man, a 41-year-old Afghani named Aftab Hussein, was shot and killed outside of his apartment.
Anyone with information about these crimes should contact Crime Stoppers at 505-843-STOP.