An imam In New Jersey Was Fatally Shot Outside A Mosque

In a tragic incident, Imam Hassan Sharif lost his life due to gunshot wounds sustained outside a mosque in New Jersey on Wednesday, as confirmed by the state’s attorney general, Matt Platkin. Platkin clarified that initial investigations have not indicated a bias-driven or domestic terrorism motive behind the killing.

The Imam was shot multiple times outside Masjid Muhammad in Newark and subsequently succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, according to Platkin. While the motive behind the crime remains unclear, the evidence collected so far does not suggest bias or terrorism as the primary motive.

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Acknowledging the heightened concerns within communities, particularly the Muslim community in New Jersey, Platkin emphasized the increased instances of bias attacks. The state is home to approximately 300,000 Muslim Americans, and Platkin pointed to the surge in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic incidents across the United States, particularly following the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Essex County prosecutor Ted Stephens confirmed that Sharif sustained multiple gunshot wounds shortly after 6 am but stated that there is no indication of the incident being a bias crime or terrorism-related.

Hassan Sharif had been working as a security screener at Newark airport since 2016, as confirmed by the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein expressed deep sorrow at Sharif’s passing, extending condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.