Albuquerque police say they have arrested the ‘prime suspect’ in the murder of four Muslim men in New Mexico’s biggest city – the deaths have sparked fears in the community and led to increased security at mosques and the schools.
Muhammad Syed, 51, from Afghanistan, has been charged in two of the murders and has been identified by police as a suspect in the other two killings.
Chief Harold Medina said Tuesday the arrest came after authorities found a vehicle linked to one of the murders.
Authorities in Albuquerque have tightened security measures as concerns mount within the Muslim community over ambush-style killings, the most recent of which occurred on Friday. Authorities asked for help on Monday to search for a vehicle that appeared to be the one discovered on Tuesday. Police said in a news release they suspect the vehicle was used in the homicides – a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen, maybe a Jetta or a Passat, with tinted windows.
Common elements in the deaths were the race and religion of the victims, officials said, and authorities discovered a possible link between the killings. Authorities released photos, hoping people could help identify the car, and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan, was the first victim, killed on 7 November. Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, were killed on July 26 and August 1, and Naeem Hussain, 25, was shot on Friday. , according to investigators. The last three victims were from Pakistan.
Syed faces murder charges in the deaths of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and Naeem Hussain. According to Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock, Syed is also “involved” in the other two deaths.
Hartsock said firearms found in Syed’s house and car through search warrants matched bullet casings at both crime scenes.
Albuquerque’s Muslim community in fear
Khalid Emshadi, a Republican candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives, had planned campaign events for Friday – but he said fears of a possible serial killer targeting Muslims in Albuquerque could keep him home.
“I’m thinking of canceling them,” said Emshadi, 44, a Muslim who emigrated with his wife from Libya to the United States in 2008. He has lived in New Mexico’s most populous city for more than a year.
“I can’t work on the streets,” the father of five told USA TODAY before the arrest. “I can’t knock on doors because if that person is still on the streets and feels comfortable killing Muslims, I could be their next target.”
Emshadi said the killings made him and other Muslims nervous about practicing their Islamic rituals in mosques. “We think something bad is going to happen if we just start praying, (like) a madman comes inside and shoots us,” he said.
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Samia Assed, an Albuquerque-based Muslim community activist and organizer, said she knew Hussain, the third victim. His fellow civic engagement worker was due to get married in September, Assed told USA TODAY.
“Muhammad was on a cricket team, and his whole cricket team left town the next day (after he was killed),” Assed said.
“These are young men who come to America for the peace of mind of living a life and not having to worry about the problems they left behind,” she said. “Nobody wants to face that kind of fear.”
Albuquerque Anti-Muslim Hate Crime Statistics
Few anti-Muslim hate crimes have been recorded in Albuquerque in the past five years, according to FBI data cited by Brian LevinDirector of the Center for the Study of Hatred and Extremism and Professor of Criminal Justice at California State University San Bernardino.
From 2017 to 2020, there was one anti-Muslim hate crime per year. The highest recent number dates back to 2016, when Albuquerque police recorded six out of 25 hate crimes.
That largely follows national trends, which hit the lowest numbers in a decade in 2020, only to rise 45% in 2021 in a dozen cities and states, Levin said.
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Albuquerque authorities said the motive for the killings was unclear.
City officials, along with state and local law enforcement, have stepped up security efforts as authorities investigate.
Tim Keller, Mayor of Albuquerque said police protect mosques during prayer times. The city has arranged door-to-door food deliveries and access to trauma services through the Albuquerque Community Safety Department for those in need.
“We are outraged by these attacks and will not relent in our pursuit of justice for those we have lost,” Keller said in a statement.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said additional state troopers will patrol Albuquerque.
Police have increased their presence near Muslim-affiliated schools and worked with the University of New Mexico Police Department in preparation for the fall semester. Albuquerque Public Schools has worked with the city to keep students safe, Keller said, noting the school year starts wednesday for the majority.
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Police provided the Islamic Center of New Mexico with additional security in addition to that of the mosque, Assed said.
“It’s foreign to the community” of about 4,000 Muslims in Albuquerque, she said. “It was a big surprise to have it in sequence like this within the Muslim community.”
“The authorities have been amazing, they’ve really stepped up,” said Assed, who held a community prayer Tuesday night in memory of the four victims.
Contribute: The Associated Press