03 January 2024 , 15:38
763
0
An imam is in critical condition after being shot outside a mosque.
The shocking incident happened on Wednesday morning in in Newark, US. The shooting was reported at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street around 6.15 am.
Police have not released any details on a suspect or a motive. Only one injury has been confirmed so far. A city spokesperson confirmed the shooting victim was an imam at Masjid Muhammad-Newark. A person who answered the door at the mosque told NBC New York that the victim is Imam Hassan Sharif.
He was shot in the parking lot behind the mosque. It is believed he was at the site overseeing morning prayer.
A police officer waits outside the mosque (Anadolu via Getty Images)Photos from the scene show police still at the scene around the mosque. Attorney General Matthew Platkin said the shooting does not appear to be motivated by bias.
Gunman opens fire in synagogue in city just days after posting Nazi imagery
"At a time when bias incidents against members of the Muslim community are on the rise, we know that this act of gun violence will heighten fears and concerns in our State," he said in a statement. Platkin said "every possible angle will, of course, be explored and every lead will be fully investigated."
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said it is gathering information on the shooting. “We are deeply concerned about this incident and pray for the speedy recovery of the imam. Anyone with information about the shooting should immediately contact local police,” CAIR-N.J. said in a statement.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy commented on the incident, offering sympathy with the Imam: "My prayers are with Imam Hassan Sharif, who was the victim of a shooting earlier this morning outside the Masjid Muhammad Mosque in Newark." He further assured the "Muslim community and people of all faiths that we will do everything in our power to keep residents safe."
“It’s a shame, our religion is not about violence,” said Lateef Murphy, 53, who sometimes prays at the mosque. “It’s about how to live your life without hatred.”