A Muslim imam and his assistant were killed Saturday in a shooting while walking home from prayers at a mosque in the New York City borough of Queens – and local residents blamed the attack on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. A lone gunman shot both men in the head, police said, but nothing so far indicates that the men were targeted due to their faith.
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Worshipper Millat Uddin said Akonjee had led the mosque for about two years and was a very pious man.
U.S. media reported that the men were shot after leaving the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque after Saturday afternoon prayers, dressed in Islamic attire.
Footage uploaded to Twitter showed people gathered Saturday evening near the scene of the fatal shooting, many of them yelling “we want justice”.
“If you allow Muslims to be slaughtered in the streets in America, the only thing you are doing is taking America and her children backwards”, says Imam Abdul Malik.
The gunman, who wore a dark polo shirt and shorts, was seen on video surveillance and by witnesses running from the scene with a gun, police said.
The imam, who has not been named, has been described as a well-respected member of the community.
New York’s PIX 11 station reported that one of the victims was the head imam.
Eric Phillips, a press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, said the mayor was closely monitoring the police investigation into the shootings. “It’s a great loss to the community and it’s a great loss to the society”.
“(And) a very helpful guy”, said neighbor Mohammed Uddin, who is not a relation of Thara Uddin’s.
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The victims were wearing religious attire at the time of the shooting, according to a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the investigation.
