Albuquerque police said they released photos of the vehicle they suspect was used in the four homicides in hopes people could help identify the car. Police said the vehicle being sought is a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen with dark tinted windows and appears to be a Jetta. Police did not say where the images were taken or what led them to suspect the car was involved in any of the crimes. “We have a very, very strong bond,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Sunday. “We have a vehicle we are interested in… We need to find that vehicle.” Police are still trying to determine if there is any connection between the murders. A Muslim man was killed Friday night in Albuquerque, and ambush shootings have killed three Muslim men in the past nine months. What all the victims have in common is their race and religion, Deputy Police Chief Kyle Hartsock said. Police said on Saturday that the victim in the latest killing was a South Asian Muslim man believed to be in his 20s. The man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by investigators, was found dead after police were called to the shooting. Earlier this week, police confirmed that local detectives and federal law enforcement officers were looking into possible links between the different crimes. Two of the men — Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41 — were killed last week, both from Pakistan and members of the same mosque. The third case concerns the November killing of Mohammed Ahmadi, 62, a Muslim man of South Asian descent. Police declined to say whether Friday night’s homicide was similar to the other deaths. Authorities said they cannot yet say whether the shootings were hate crimes until they identify a suspect and determine a motive. “We will bring this person or people to justice,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Sunday.
title: “Albuquerque Police Search For Car In Murders Of 4 Muslim Men " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-14” author: “Michael Shones”
A Muslim man was killed Friday night in Albuquerque, and ambush shootings have killed three other Muslim men in the past nine months. Police are trying to determine if the murders are connected. The common elements in all the deaths were the race and religion of the victims, said the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Kyle Hartsock said. Police said the same vehicle is suspected of being used in all four homicides — a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen that appears to be a Jetta with dark tinted windows. Authorities released photos in hopes that people could help identify the car. Investigators have not said where the images were taken or what led them to suspect the car was involved in the killings. “We have a very, very strong bond,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said Sunday. “We have a vehicle we are interested in… We need to find that vehicle.” President Joe Biden said he was “outraged and saddened” by the killings and that his administration “stands strongly with the Muslim community.” “These hateful attacks have no place in America,” Biden said Sunday in a tweet. Police said on Saturday that the victim in the latest killing was South Asian and believed to be in his 20s. The man, whose identity has not been confirmed by investigators, was found dead after police were called to the shooting. Authorities declined to say whether the killing was done in a manner similar to the other deaths. Police confirmed last week that local detectives and federal law enforcement officers were looking for possible links between the murders. Two of the men — Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41 — were killed last week. Both were from Pakistan and members of the same mosque. The third case concerns the November killing of Mohammed Ahmadi, 62, a Muslim man of South Asian descent. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had worked as a field organizer for the campaign of a local MP. Spokeswoman Melanie Stansbury released a statement praising the city planner as “one of the kindest and hardest working people” she’s ever met. He said he was “committed to making our public spaces work for every person and cleaning up the legacy of pollution”. Authorities said they cannot determine whether the shootings were hate crimes until they have identified a suspect and a motive. “We will bring this person or people to justice,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Sunday.
