Fourth Muslim Man Killed in Albuquerque
Authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are investigating the murder of Naeem Hussain, a young Pakistani immigrant who was killed Friday evening. Police are connecting his murder to the murders of three other Muslim men, in what Governor Grisham has called targeted attacks.
Officers in Albuquerque responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near Truman Street and Grant Avenue just before midnight on Friday. Although police have not yet publicly identified the victim, members of the surrounding Muslim community identified the victim as Naeem Hussain.
Hussain’s death comes just days after police established a connection between victims Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Hussain.
On July 26, Aftab Hussein was found with gunshot wounds on the 400 block of Rhode Island Street. He later died from his injuries. According to his brother Aftaf, Aftab Hussein was unrecognizable due to his gunshot wounds. On August 1, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain was shot and killed. He was found on a sidewalk next to Cornell Street and Lead Avenue. Both men were immigrants from Pakistan.
The day Naeem Hussain was murdered, he attended a funeral for the most recent victims and expressed his own fears surrounding their murders.
As investigators examined the more recent murders, a 2021 unsolved murder in the city has resurfaced as a potential connection. On November 7, Mohammad Ahmadi was killed in the parking lot of a halal supermarket he and his brother owned.
Albuquerque police released photos of a suspected vehicle they believe was used in all four homicides. Police are looking for a dark gray or silver Volkswagen they believe to be a Jetta.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham posted a tweet Sunday evening saying the targeted killings of Muslim residents is “deeply angering and wholly intolerable.” President Biden said “These hateful attacks have no place in America” in a tweet.
The FBI has set up an online portal for Albuquerque residents to upload videos or pictures that may assist the investigation. The local Crime Stoppers organization has offered $20,000 for any information leading to an arrest. Governor Grisham has stated she will send extra state police officers to assist in the investigation. The U.S. Marshals are also investigating their murders.
Police along with local and national Muslim groups have advised residents to be careful when out in public. Mosques across the city are attempting to provide additional security measures.
