Yesterday, January 3rd, 2024, a fatal shooting of Imam Hassan Sharif took place outside a mosque in Muslim-populated New Jersey, USA, while the attacker and the motive of the attack remain unknown.
Before dawn prayer, the shooter waited for Imam Hassan Sharif, who, according to several testimonies, was popular in the community and remembered as a beacon between his people. The shooting took place at 6 AM outside Muhammad Mosque, and Newark police are investigating the incident.
After being shot several times, Sharif went to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Hearing the news of his death, a large crowd gathered in Newark on Wednesday to mourn him, taking to the streets and chanting, “stop the killing.”
The shooting of a Muslim icon in America comes amid tension due to divided stances on the Gaza-Israel conflict that resulted in several other hate crimes in the US since October 7, 2023, and it can easily be categorized as such. According to CNN, the New Jersey Attorney General Mathew Platkin said “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”.
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