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Albuquerque: Police investigating killings of four Muslim men identify car believed to have been used in all of them

"We have a very, very strong link," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller says.聽"We have a vehicle of interest 鈥� We have got to find this vehicle."

Monday 8 August 2022 21:16, UK

Albuquerque Police's deputy chief of investigations, Cecily Barker, is looking for this car
Image: Albuquerque police's deputy chief of investigations, Cecily Barker, shows the wanted car
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Police investigating the killing of four Muslim men in New Mexico have identified a car believed to have been used in all four homicides.

The vehicle detectives are looking for is a dark grey or silver Volkswagen saloon.

"We have a very, very strong link," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said. "We have a vehicle of interest … We have got to find this vehicle."

He added that state authorities are looking at providing an "extra police presence at mosques during times of
prayer".

Altaf Hussain cries at the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque
Image: Altaf Hussain cries at the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque

The latest victim was gunned down in Albuquerque on Friday night.

Local Islamic leaders said he was killed not long after attending funeral services for two other victims who were killed in the last couple of weeks.

The fourth victim was targeted last November.

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All four were Muslim men of Pakistani or Afghan descent who lived in Albuquerque.

The latest victim, who has not yet been named, is believed to have been in his mid-20s.

The two others killed recently were Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41.

Both were from Pakistan and members of the same mosque.

The man killed in November was 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi.

People sprinkle dirt over the grave of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain
Image: People sprinkle dirt over the grave of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain

Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had worked as a field organizer for a local congresswoman's campaign.

Representative Melanie Stansbury, whose district includes most of Albuquerque, said Mr Hussain was "one of the kindest and hardest working people".

He was "committed to making our public spaces work for every person and cleaning up legacy pollution", she added.

City police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said there are "several things in common with all four of the homicides".

Asked whether investigators consider the killings to be hate crimes, Mr Gallegos added: "Hate is determined by motive, and we don't know that motive at this point."

However, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has characterized the crimes as "targeted killings of Muslim residents".

"These hateful attacks have no place in America," President Joe Biden has said.

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