Man arrested after shots fired at prominent Muslim leader in Utah | US crime
A man was arrested for recently shooting a gun at prominent Muslim leader Imam Shuaib Din in Utah, Sandy police said Saturday.
Din’s alleged attacker was identified as Abdul Raouf Afridi. Police said the man was arrested on 12 counts of aggravated assault, including criminal discharge of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, dangerous discharge of a weapon from a vehicle and possession of a dangerous weapon as a prohibited person.
The leader of Utah’s largest mosque, Din, was ambushed outside his home Monday evening. The shooter allegedly waited for the cleric to enter or leave after sunset prayers.
Police say Afridi knew Din before the shooting and located his car. Formal charges were not immediately filed by the local prosecutor’s office and the case remains under investigation.
The Islamic Center of Utah asked the community to “avoid speculation” about the motive for the attempted assassination of Din.
Sergeant Michael Olsen of the Sandy Police Department said the attempted shooting was “a shock to the community” and “wasn’t something that usually happens” in the city.
Din said the gunman, wearing a mask and hoodie, opened fire as Din was leaving his garage to return to his mosque for 7:45 p.m. prayers. The shooter then fled.
All shots missed the cleric, whose mosque is in the West Jordan community near the Sandy border. “Obviously he knew my house, my car, my schedule,” the clergyman told the Salt Lake Tribune.
Din said he followed the shooter to try to get his license plate, but the man pulled up alongside him and fired eight more shots. The bullets passed through the front and rear seats as well as the windshield.
Din said he couldn’t imagine who his attacker could be, telling the outlet it was “probably someone outside of my community.” In an interview with local station KSL-TV, he said: “I don’t see anyone who would want to harm me, so it makes sense to investigate this as a possible hate crime.” »
The Council on American-Islamic Relations had offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. The organization also called for increased police protection for the cleric and the Muslim community.
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski and the Sandy City Council said they were “deeply troubled” by the shooting, which occurred during the month of Ramadan, a holy time for Muslims.
“While the motive remains under investigation, we cannot ignore that this occurred during…a time of prayer, reflection and peace for Muslims everywhere,” the mayor and city council wrote on social media.
“This makes the situation particularly troubling for our community… To our Muslim residents and neighbors: you are valued members of Sandy. We stand with you.”
