Police are questioning a possible suspect in connection to the murder of a NY imam and his assistant, two law enforcement officials tell CNN.
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A possible suspect had been detained by NY police and was being questioned, but has not been charged in the killing of a Imam and his associate as they left prayers at a mosque in the borough of Queens Saturday, NBC News reported early Monday, citing unnamed sources. The killer approached them from behind, according to police.
Akonjee had been carrying more than $1,000, but the attacker did not take the money, police said. A police spokesman could not immediately confirm the reports.
Akonjee’s son, Foyez Uddin, who isn’t related to the other victim, tells The Associated Press in Bangladesh that his father and mother had booked flights for August 31 to visit the elder man’s mother.
He says his family “cannot believe he is no more”, calling the loss “irreparable”.
Police have yet to establish a motive behind Saturday’s killings and have said there was no evidence the men were targeted due to their faith but nothing was being ruled out.
“The perpetrator of these senseless killings must be swiftly apprehended and face the full force of the law”, Afaf Nasher, executive director of the NY chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement.
Monir Chowdhury, who worshipped daily with the two men, said he had moved to the community because of its large Bangladeshi immigrant population, but in recent months has been harassed by people shouting anti-Muslim epithets. The gunman stalked the pair from behind and shot both in the head at close range at about 1:50 p.m. (1750 GMT) in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, one of the city’s five boroughs, police said in a statement. “People, they just hate us”.
While authorities noted that it appeared the men, who were both wearing religious attire at the time, were targeted, a possible motive has not been released as of late Sunday night. He was described by witnesses as a man with a medium complexion.
Mayor Bill de Blasio says Muslims make NY better and stronger.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Muslim communities always are in the “crosshairs of bigotry”. It remains critical that we work to bridge the divides that threaten to undermine the greatness of our city and country. Residents demanded authorities treat the brazen daylight shooting as a hate crime.
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Shahriar Alam, said the shooting was a “cowardly act on peace-loving people”. The U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marcia Bernicat, said Akonjee “stood for peace”.
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Islamic funeral prayers are to be held Monday for Imam Maulama Alauddin Akonjee and Thara Uddin.
