Hassan Sharif, an imam who was shot outside a mosque in New Jersey on Wednesday has died, according to the state’s attorney general, who added that the death did not appear to be motivated by “bias” or domestic terrorism at the time.
According to New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, Hassan Sharif was shot numerous times near a mosque in Newark, just west of New York, before being brought to a hospital, where he subsequently died.
“We do not yet know the motivation for this crime, but the evidence collected thus far does not indicate that this was an act motivated by bias or an act of domestic terrorism,” said Platkin.
He added that “in light of global events and the rise in bias that many communities are experiencing across our state, particularly the Muslim community, there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear.”
According to him, the state is home to 300,000 Muslim Americans.
Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, there has been a rise in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic incidents in the United States.
According to the Essex County prosecutor, Ted Stephens, Sharif was shot more than once, and “it does not appear the imam was the victim of a biased crime or that this is related to terrorism.”
“We are dedicated to bringing justice for the imam’s family,” said Stephens, who called it a “dastardly crime.”
Sharif had worked as a security screener at Newark Airport since 2016, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues,” said Lisa Farbstein, a TSA spokeswoman.
Images released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) New Jersey chapter showed police cars stationed outside the Masjid Muhammad-Newark, a two-story yellow and green facility.
In a statement, CAIR described Sharif as “a beacon of leadership and excellence.”
“As always, and irrespective of this specific incident, we advise all mosques to keep their doors open but remain cautious, especially given the recent spike in anti-Muslim bigotry,” the organization said.
