By STEFANIE DAZIO and MARIAM FAM
Police introduced a breakthrough Tuesday within the killings of 4 Muslim males in Albuquerque, New Mexico, charging a person from Afghanistan — himself a Muslim — with two of the slayings and figuring out him as a first-rate suspect within the different killings that put your entire group on edge.
Muhammad Syed, 51, was taken into custody a day earlier after a site visitors cease greater than 100 miles away, authorities mentioned.
Three of the 4 ambush shootings occurred within the final two weeks. Police Chief Harold Medina mentioned it was not clear but whether or not the deaths needs to be categorized as hate crimes or serial killings or each.
Investigators obtained a tip from town’s Muslim group that pointed towards Syed, who has lived within the U.S. for about 5 years, police mentioned.
Police had been trying into potential motives, together with an unspecified “interpersonal battle.”
When requested particularly if Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was indignant that his daughter married a Shiite Muslim, Deputy Police Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock didn't reply instantly. He mentioned “motives are nonetheless being explored totally to know what they're.”
Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Heart of New Mexico, acknowledged that “there was a wedding,” however he cautioned in opposition to coming to any conclusions concerning the motivation of the suspect, who he mentioned attended the middle’s mosque “every so often.”
“Understanding the place we had been, you already know, a number of days in the past to the place we're immediately is an unbelievable sigh of aid that we’re respiration,” he mentioned. “Lives have been turned the wrong way up.”
The precise nature of the relationships between Syed and the victims – and the victims to 1 one other – remained unclear. However police mentioned they proceed to research how they crossed paths earlier than the shootings.
The slayings drew the eye of President Joe Biden, who mentioned such assaults “haven't any place in America.” In addition they despatched a shudder by Muslim communities throughout the U.S. Some individuals questioned their security and restricted their actions.
When instructed concerning the arrest earlier than the suspect’s identification was made public, Muhammad Imtiaz Hussain, brother of one of many victims, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, mentioned he felt relieved however wanted to know extra concerning the assailant and the motive.
“This provides us hope that we are going to have (the) reality come out,” he mentioned. “We have to know why.”
It was not instantly clear whether or not Syed had an lawyer who may converse on his behalf.
Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old man from Pakistan, was killed Friday night time. His loss of life got here simply days after these of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41, who had been additionally from Pakistan and members of the identical mosque.
The earliest case entails the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan.
For now, Syed is charged within the killings of Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain as a result of bullet casings discovered on the crime scenes had been linked to a gun discovered at his house, authorities mentioned.
Investigators contemplate Syed to be the first suspect within the deaths of Naeem Hussain and Ahmadi however haven't but filed fees in these instances.
Police mentioned they had been about to go looking Syed’s Albuquerque house on Monday once they noticed him drive away in a Volkswagen Jetta that investigators consider was utilized in at the very least one of many slayings.
Officers adopted him to Santa Rosa, about 110 miles east of Albuquerque, the place they pulled him over. A number of firearms had been recovered from his house and automotive, police mentioned.
Syed’s sons had been questioned and launched, in line with authorities.
Prosecutors anticipate to file homicide fees in state court docket and are contemplating including a federal case, authorities mentioned.
Shiites make up the second largest department in Islam after Sunnis.
Aneela Abad, basic secretary on the Islamic heart, mentioned the 2 Muslim communities in New Mexico take pleasure in heat ties.
“Our Shiite group has all the time been there for us and we, Sunnis, have all the time been there for them,” she mentioned.
Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had labored as a area organizer for Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s marketing campaign.
“Muhammad was variety, hopeful, optimistic,” she mentioned, describing him as a metropolis planner “who believed in democracy and social change, and who believed that we may, in actual fact, construct a brighter future for our communities and for our world.” ___
Dazio reported from Los Angeles and Fam from Winter Park, Florida. Related Press author Robert Jablon in LA additionally contributed to this report.