IMAM SLAIN AT MOSQUE
Early-morning shots in Newark claim leader
An imam was shot to death outside his mosque in Newark Wednesday — leaving authorities hunting for the killer.
Hassan Sharif, the imam of Masjid Muhammad, was preparing to engage in the first of his daily prayers when an unidentified gunman approached and opened fire outside the mosque at around 6:15 a.m., near the intersection of Camden Street and South Orange Avenue, according to Newark police.
Sharif, who was shot twice, was rushed to University Hospital in critical condition. He was declared dead later Wednesday, officials said.
A motive for the shooting remained unclear, but New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said that it did not appear to be motivated by anti-Muslim bias.
“The evidence collected thus far does not indicate that this was an act motivated by bias or an act of domestic terrorism,” Platkin said at a news conference Wednesday.
Reward offered
“And while we would ordinarily not go public with this type of information so early in our process, we know and I know that in light of global events and with a rise in violence directed at many communities . . . many in New Jersey are feeling a heightened sense of fear and anxiety at the news of this slaying.”
Essex County Crime Stoppers offered a $25,000 reward to anyone with information on the slaying.
It was not known whether any students were inside the attached Clara Mohammad School-Newark at the time.
Sharif was listed among the 2022-23 advisory board members for the mosque’s Social Services and Health Wellness program. He was the resident imam of Masjid Muhammad for about five years and was a community advocate who protested against gun violence.
He was also among a group of interfaith leaders who attended a climate-change protest in Newark in April 2022, the Jewish Standard reported at the time.
In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said his prayers are with the imam.
“At this point, we do not have any information about the perpetrators or motivations behind this incident, but I know law enforcement will provide updates as appropriate,” Murphy said.
“At a time when the Muslim community is concerned by an increase of bias incidents and crimes, I want to assure the Muslim community and people of all faiths that we will do everything in our power to keep all residents safe, especially in or near our houses of worship.”
He urged anyone with information on the crime to contact the Newark Police Department via its 24-hour tip hotline at 1-877-NWKTIPS (1-877-695-8477).
Saydah Maiga, 37, who attends Masjid Muhammad, told WNBC/ Channel 4 that Sharif had offered his support when she converted to Islam in June.
“He was there for me when I needed prayer when I first became a Muslim,” Maiga told the outlet. “He definitely made sure he reached out to me, to help me learn my prayers, so that I could become the best Muslim.”