The murders of four Muslim men in New Mexico, which police believe may be connected, have been condemned by President Joe Biden. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, the President described the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque as “horrific.” He added that “these hateful attacks have no place in America” and expressed his “anger and sadness” over the incident.
In their investigation into four fatal shootings of Muslim men in Albuquerque over the past nine months, police in New Mexico on Sunday asked the public for assistance in locating a “vehicle of interest.”
Police reported that the most recent victim was shot dead on Friday night, a killing that local Islamic leaders claimed happened soon after the victim attended the funerals of two other people who had died in recent weeks. They were all Muslim men from Pakistan or Afghanistan who lived in Albuquerque, including the first victim who was killed by gunfire in November.
41-year-old Aftab Hussein, a member of the sizable Afghan community in Albuquerque, was found shot to death on July 26 close to the city’s international district, and Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, a planning director for the city of Espanola, New Mexico, who immigrated from Pakistan, was shot dead on August 1 outside his apartment complex, according to police. These recent killings include both of these individuals. Former New Mexico congresswoman Melanie Stansbury had hired Hussain to work on her campaign.
I am angered and saddened by the horrific killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque. While we await a full investigation, my prayers are with the victims’ families, and my Administration stands strongly with the Muslim community.
These hateful attacks have no place in America.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 7, 2022
According to police, all four murders followed a similar pattern: victims were “ambushed without warning, fired upon, and killed.” A dark-colored Volkswagen Jetta or Passat has been named by authorities as a “vehicle of interest” in the killings. The car could be damaged.
Hussain, who according to police was in his mid-20s, had only recently become a citizen of the US and had aspirations of starting his own business. He intended to bring his wife from Pakistan to the US after taking the citizenship oath. Together, they wished to construct a house.
Among the organizations assisting with the investigation are the FBI, the US Marshals Service, and the New Mexico State Police. The Office of Equity and Inclusion for the city of Albuquerque has urged residents to contact the police if they have any information about the killings.
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