New Mexico the police arrested a man called him the “prime suspect” in the slayings of several Muslim men in Albuquerque, officials said Tuesday.
“We located the vehicle believed to be involved in the recent killing of a Muslim man in Albuquerque,” according to a statement. Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina. “The driver was taken into custody and is our prime suspect in the murders.”
Four Muslim men of South Asian descent have been killed since November, scaring the Albuquerque community.
Shortly after Medina’s statement, Mayor Tim Keller thanked local, state and federal law enforcement for their work on the case.
Deputy Chief of Police Investigations Cecily Barker holds a flyer with photos of a car of interest wanted in connection with the Muslim men killed in Albuquerque, NM, on August 7, 2022.Adolphe Pierre-Louis / Albuquerque Journal via ZUMA Press
“We hope their swift action will bring a greater sense of safety to so many who are experiencing fear from the recent shootings.” Keller said in a statement.
Police issued an alert on Sunday for a “vehicle of interest,” a gray or silver Volkswagen Jetta.
The latest fatal shooting occurred shortly before midnight Friday on the edge of a community known as the International District, southeast of downtown, police said. The victim was identified as Naeem Hussain.
The first attack that could be linked to the violence took place on 7 November. The body of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, was found in a parking lot behind the halal meat business he ran with his brother.
Minutes after police announced the latest development, Sharief Hadi, Ahmadi’s brother, said he was still waiting to hear from local authorities about a possible arrest.
“I’m still waiting for my hope because I don’t have any,” he told NBC News. “No one knows what’s going on right now. I want to be 100 percent sure.”
The other two homicides were the killing of Pakistani immigrant Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26 and the slaying of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, near the University of New Mexico on Monday, they said the authorities
This is a developing story, please check back here for updates.
Contributed by Alicia Victoria Lozano and Dennis Romero.
