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Families come together to remember the victims of Albuquerque's Muslim killings

Families come together to remember the victims of Albuquerque's Muslim killings
THAT SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY. FOUR MEN IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY WERE REMEMBER, TONIGHT? AMONG THEM, MUHAMMAD ASLAM. HIS BROTHER TELLS ME HE IS NOW FREE OF THE FEAR OF BEING THE NEXT TARGETED ATTACK. THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW MEXICO IS USUALLY FULL OF MUSLIM MEN AND WOMEN. TONIGHT, RABBIS, PRIESTS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE CAME TOGETHER. I SEE MANY FRIENDLY AND WONDERFUL FACES HERE TODAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT AND HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN. FRIENDS LIKE YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT MAKES US BETTER HUMANS. JUST DAYS AGO, IMTIAZ RAISED HIS VOICE TALKING ABOUT THE FEAR OF BECOMING THE NEXT TARGET. WE ARE LIVING IT FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, BUT LIVING IS NEVER FOR NINE YEARS. AND IF THIS HAS HAPPENED HERE. SO WHERE TO GO? WHERE ARE WE SAFE RAISING HIS VOICE AGAIN, THIS TIME IN FRONT OF HIS COMMUNITY, HIS NEIGHBORS AND HIS ALBUQUERQUE FAMILY WHO LOST HER NIECE. THE KIND OF SUPPORT, A BIG NEST. IT’S INCREDIBLE. I ANTICIPATE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A BLOOMING. I’VE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR NINE YEARS NOW. THE FEELING IS RELIEF. WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS IS, IS THE GUY GOT ARRESTED. MY SON SAID, DAD, CAN I GO TO BALCONY? I SAID, YES, GO OUT, OPEN THE DOOR. ENDING WITH THE PRAYER. FROM NOW ON, A TOUGH MAN, IMTIAZ SAYS THE SUPPORT IN ALBUQUERQUE IS UNQUESTIONABLE. I’M HERE SO THANKFUL TO ALBUQUERQUE’S STATE OF NEW MEXICO. I RECEIVED LOVE, WHICH I FEEL LITTLE, THAT I’M MORE THAN LIVING IN MY COUNTRY. PAKISTAN. IMTIAZ TELLS ME HE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE HIS BROTHER’S SUSPECTED KILLER BY NAME, BUT HE IS WAITING TO HEAR THE CONNECTION FROM POLICE REPORTING IN ALBUQUERQUE, STEPHANIE MUNOZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU ON THIS INVESTIGATION AS WE LEARN MORE. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE KOAT APP
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Families come together to remember the victims of Albuquerque's Muslim killings
Family, friends and the community came together on Tuesday to remember the victims in the recent killings of members of Albuquerque's Muslim community. Muhammad Afzaal HussainSeveral words describe 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain.U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury said, “Muhammad was an amazing, gentle, kind, caring, loving, excited, passionate person.”The president of Islamic Center of New Mexico said he is a “Caring, caring young man.”An immigrant from Pakistan, he embraced the American dream.Hussain’s brother, Muhammad Imtiaz, said, “He loved this land. He said, this is a land of justice. This is the land where people have prosperity, where people have love, where people have laws, rules and regulation. There is justice.”His brother remembers Hussain's work on now Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury's campaign.“He was always ambitious to raise the voice whose voice are unheard,” Imtiaz said.Stansbury said, “He is probably one of the most passionate and kind people I ever met.”On Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, his life was cut short.According to Albuquerque Police Department, his murder is related to the killings of three other members of the Muslim community. Imtiaz agrees, saying, “It seems like this is not a random shooting. This is targeted. This is a highly motivated, violent act.”According to Imtiaz, his brother was shot multiple times less than a block from their home.“My kids saw he said there is a police car outside,” Imtiaz said.With this situation, safety is a concern for everyone in the Muslim community.Assad said, “It brings back all those memories that we are a vulnerable community.”“I feel that if my brother is shot, someone else can be shot myself. Can be shot. I feel insecure. I feel that gun violence is real,” Imtiaz said.He says something needs to change.“I lost my brother. No one else should lose their sister. No one should let his mom and dad become victims of this gun violence. It must stop,” Imtiaz said.He wants justice for his brother, as people remember him as a model citizen. Naeem Hussain25-year-old Naeem Hussain moved to Albuquerque six years ago. His family remembers him as a kindhearted person who was very generous and very forgiving. Hussain was shot and killed on August 5 in southeast Albuquerque. The news of his death came as a shock to his family members living in Virginia and Pakistan. "We were like, you know, why Naeem?," said Ehsan Shahalami. Hussain's brother in law says Hussain had just become a U.S. Citizen and took refuge in the United States because of religious persecution. "The ironic part of the whole story is that he actually took refuge in this country because of religious persecution," said Shahalami. The suspect in the case, 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, has been detained but has not yet been charged in his killing. Albuquerque Police and the Bernalillo County District Attorney are working to pursue potential charges for Syed in Hussain's death. Aftab HusseinAftab Hussein was shot and killed on July 26, 2022. Albuquerque Police say he was from Pakistan. Mohammad Zaher AhmadiMohammad Zaher Ahmadi was killed on November 7, 2021. Police say he was from Afghanistan.

Family, friends and the community came together on Tuesday to remember the victims in the recent killings of members of Albuquerque's Muslim community.

Muhammad Afzaal Hussain

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Several words describe 27-year-old Muhammad Afzaal Hussain.

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury said, “Muhammad was an amazing, gentle, kind, caring, loving, excited, passionate person.”

The president of Islamic Center of New Mexico said he is a “Caring, caring young man.”

An immigrant from Pakistan, he embraced the American dream.

Hussain’s brother, Muhammad Imtiaz, said, “He loved this land. He said, this is a land of justice. This is the land where people have prosperity, where people have love, where people have laws, rules and regulation. There is justice.”

His brother remembers Hussain's work on now Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury's campaign.

“He was always ambitious to raise the voice whose voice are unheard,” Imtiaz said.

Stansbury said, “He is probably one of the most passionate and kind people I ever met.”

On Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, his life was cut short.

According to Albuquerque Police Department, his murder is related to the killings of three other members of the Muslim community.

Imtiaz agrees, saying, “It seems like this is not a random shooting. This is targeted. This is a highly motivated, violent act.”

According to Imtiaz, his brother was shot multiple times less than a block from their home.

“My kids saw he said there is a police car outside,” Imtiaz said.

With this situation, safety is a concern for everyone in the Muslim community.

Assad said, “It brings back all those memories that we are a vulnerable community.”

“I feel that if my brother is shot, someone else can be shot myself. Can be shot. I feel insecure. I feel that gun violence is real,” Imtiaz said.

He says something needs to change.

“I lost my brother. No one else should lose their sister. No one should let his mom and dad become victims of this gun violence. It must stop,” Imtiaz said.

He wants justice for his brother, as people remember him as a model citizen.

Naeem Hussain

25-year-old Naeem Hussain moved to Albuquerque six years ago.

His family remembers him as a kindhearted person who was very generous and very forgiving.

Hussain was shot and killed on August 5 in southeast Albuquerque. The news of his death came as a shock to his family members living in Virginia and Pakistan.

"We were like, you know, why Naeem?," said Ehsan Shahalami.

Hussain's brother in law says Hussain had just become a U.S. Citizen and took refuge in the United States because of religious persecution.

"The ironic part of the whole story is that he actually took refuge in this country because of religious persecution," said Shahalami.

The suspect in the case, 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, has been detained but has not yet been charged in his killing. Albuquerque Police and the Bernalillo County District Attorney are working to pursue potential charges for Syed in Hussain's death.

Aftab Hussein

Aftab Hussein was shot and killed on July 26, 2022.

Albuquerque Police say he was from Pakistan.

Mohammad Zaher Ahmadi

Mohammad Zaher Ahmadi was killed on November 7, 2021.

Police say he was from Afghanistan.