Crowds gather to pay their respects for tragic Imam slaughtered in broad daylight as cops launch manhunt for suspect
COPS have released a sketch of the man who shot a popular New York Imam and another man in broad daylight on Saturday.
Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and his assistant Thara Uddin, 64, were wearing traditional Muslim attire when they were gunned down by a lone wolf attacker with a beard and glasses.
The unnamed attacker fired shots at each of their heads, from the back.
The pair both later died in hospital.
Cops investigating the killings said the men were not robbed, and had never seen their killer stalking them.
The killings occurred as the two men were walking home from prayers at approximately 2.00pm local time.
Witnesses to the horrific crime saw the gunman flee the scene immediately.
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Police are in the process of identifying the suspect using surveillance footage.
The killer has been described by witnesses as a bearded man wearing glasses, of a medium complexion.
He is believed to have been wearing a dark coloured shirt and shorts at the time of the attack.
Thousands of heartbroken locals gathered in Ozone Park in Queens following the shooting, calling for justice.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio sent a community affairs adviser to ease fears in the community following the shooting.
In an interview at the scene, adviser Sarah Sayeed said: "We are committed to a full investigation of any crime against any individual and we want you to know that the NYPD is looking at all angles.”
Authorities are yet to establish whether the double killing was a hate crime.
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