New Mexico Police Ask for the Public’s Help With a Mysterious Vehicle
Police in Albuquerque have posted a bulletin on Sunday (August 7) looking for a vehicle that might be tied to a string of four fatal shootings involving Muslim men in the city. The case is unfolding like a bad mystery novel, except the stakes are all too real.
The Victims: A Tragic Sequence
- Mohammad Ahmadi (62) – the first victim, shot on November 7 outside a halal supermarket.
- Aftab Hussein (41) – found dead on July 26 near the International District.
- Muhammed Afzaal Hussain (27) – a city planning director, killed on August 1 outside his apartment complex.
- Unnamed Friday night victim – murdered after attending a funeral for the two previous victims.
All four men were Muslim men of Pakistani or Afghan descent, living in Albuquerque, the state’s largest city. The victims also attended the same mosque, according to local Islamic leaders.
Police’s Hunches and Unanswered Questions
The Albuquerque Police Department released a photo bulletin of a dark‑grey four‑door Volkswagen sedan with tinted windows, labeling it a “vehicle of interest.”
So far, it’s unclear how the car links to any suspects. The department has not confirmed whether they are hunting one or more people in the investigation.
Speaking at a news conference, City Police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the four shootings share “several things in common.” However, when asked if they were hate crimes, Gallegos replied, “Hate is determined by motive, and we don’t know that motive at this point.”
Political and Community Response
- Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham labeled the killings as “targeted killings of Muslim residents.”
- President Joe Biden tweeted, “These hateful attacks have no place in America,” expressing solidarity with the Muslim community.
- Islamic Center of New Mexico spokesperson Tahir Gauba estimated the local Muslim population at 3,000–5,000, roughly 85 % of the state’s total Muslim demographic.
Who’s Involved? A Little More About the Victims
Night‑time terror struck Apostle Hussain, who also served on the campaign team of US Representative Melanie Stansbury. He returned from Pakistan and was planning for the city of Espanola when fate dealt him a cruel twist.
“He was taken a day after he attended the funeral of two other victims,” said Gauba, underscoring the tragic pattern.
Federal Assistance
The New Mexico State Police, the FBI, and the US Marshals Service are working together to untangle this tangled case. The community is invited to stay vigilant and report any sightings of the suspect vehicle. Let’s hope the missing puzzle piece appears soon, so justice can be served—without the final chapter ending in a heart‑wrenching tragedy.
