An investigation into the murder of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico has led to the arrest of the 'principal suspect'.
Police announced the arrest on Tuesday, saying it was linked to the "recent murder of a Muslim man" and that the suspect was tracked via the car they were driving.
The development came two days after authorities released photos of a vehicle of interest in an investigation involving the killings of four men: Aftab Hussein, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, Naeem Hussain, and Mohammad Ahmadi.
His three of the four deaths were in quick succession, andinvestigators suspected the man was targeted because he had a Muslim or South Asian background. He argued that it was "highly likely" that
Police are expected to provide more information about Tuesday's arrest at an afternoon press conference.
Four killings believed to be linked
On 26 July 41-year-old Aftab Hussein said: A café employee who was part of Albuquerque's large Afghan community was found dead of a gunshot wound near the city's international district.
Two weeks later, Muhammad Afzal Hussein, 27, who had traveled from Pakistan to the United States and worked as a planning director for the city of Espanola, also died of a gunshot wound in Albuquerque. Found.
Then on Friday, Naeem Hussein was shot dead in the parking lot of his NGO in Albuquerque, which serves refugees and asylum seekers, according to the Islamic Center of New Mexico..
Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, died 1 August 2022
(Albuquerque Police Department)
Aftab Hussein, 41, was killed on July 26
(Albuquerque Police Department)
Hussain, who is from Afghanistan and has no apparent ties to Muhammad Hussein, had visited the funerals of two other murdered men on the day of his murder.
"Right now people are starting to panic. Especially right after the funeral, same day, meaning it happened again. So it's really crazy." 54} Police believe the killing is linked to the death of 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi, who was shot in November behind a halal market he and his brother owned
} Albuquerque Police Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said at a press conference this week, according to Reuters.
Naeem Hussain, 25, died 5 August 2022
(Albuquerque Police Department)
Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, was found dead November 7, 2021
(Albuquerque Police Department)
Victim's brother describes horrors over Albuquerque
Muhammad Afzar Hussein's brother spoke to The Independent on Monday, sent through the community, describing the shock wave the recent killings had.
Shortly after his brother's death, Muhammad Imtiaz Hussein said he did not understand why his brother was targeted. That changed when he learned that two other Muslim men had been shot in the same area of Albuquerque within days.
"Then I thought something was going on with Muslims," he told The Independent.
Hussain said he would not rush to conclusions until authorities identified a motive, but said the potential faith-based ties had turned his community upside down.
"Nobody went to work, nobody went out to buy groceries. People canceled meetings. You can't sit on the balcony. You can't sit outside your apartment." We can't get out. This is very painful for us," he said.
Community reaction
The Council on American Islamic Relations reportedly Offers a $10,000 bounty to those who lead arrest those involved in the murder. According to NPR
, Albuquerque police are offering him a $15,000 bounty. Authorities are calling on members of the community of all backgrounds to work together to stop the murder.
"This is something that affects us all," Bernallio County District Attorney Raul Torres said at a press conference on Saturday. "Every member of this community must stand up."
The city's Equality and Inclusion Department provided information on the killings in Arabic, Persian, Dari and Urdu on Saturday. , enlisted the community's help to catch the killer.
"We urge the entire Albuquerque interfaith community and all Albuquerque people to help law enforcement identify and apprehend those responsible," it said. Michelle Melendez, who heads the office, said at the briefing."Please, please, call us for any information."
Local leaders condemned the violence. Ahmad Acedo, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico,told the New York Timesthat: The idea that someone has this much hatred for innocent people. We are scared of our families, we are scared of our children. And we are incredibly confused as to why this is happening.
The Albuquerque Police Department sought the help of citizens to identify the Volkswagen sedan linked to the killing
(Albuquerque Police Department)
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham tweeted Saturday that the murder was "extremely outrageous and utterly intolerable," adding: "I promised to do everything I can to support the Muslim community in Albuquerque and New Mexico." in this difficult time.
"You're New Mexican. You're welcome here. We stand by you," she added.
the local police and her FBI. New Mexico State Police; Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. and the US Marshals Service are all supporting the investigation.
"In addition to investigating this murder, significant patrols within Albuquerque he is devoting resources to the area and neighborhood," he said on Saturday. said to “We have lifted overtime caps for police officers so that we have access to several specialized units to ensure a strong presence of police officers in Albuquerque to keep our communities safe.” 151}
According to the latest federal data,55 hate crime incidents were reported in 2020,. Up from 50 in 2019, the incidents disproportionately target African Americans.
