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An imam died Wednesday after being shot outside a mosque in Newark, New Jersey, officials told Fox News Digital.
The religious leader, identified as Imam Hassan Sharif by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, was struck at the Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street at around 6:15 a.m., according to a spokesperson for the Newark Police Department.
He was transported to University Hospital where he died just after 2:20 p.m., Robert Florida, spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, told Fox News Digital.
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The Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque on Camden Street, where an imam was shot early Wednesday. (FOX 5)
RLS Media, citing local sources, reported that the imam was preparing to engage in the Fajr prayer, the first of the five daily prayers in Islam, when the attack occurred. A shooter approached him and opened fire. It is unclear if anyone was inside the mosque at the time of the shooting.
Sharif was shot more than once but authorities did not disclose any other details of the slaying during a Wednesday evening news conference.
A motive for the shooting is unknown, but New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said there was no evidence that the killing was motivated by bias or was an act of domestic terrorism.
The investigation is being led by Newark police.
Fox News reached out to the FBI in New Jersey, who said they are currently not involved in the case.
Platkin said he is aware of the shooting and his office is working with the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to help identify the person, or persons, responsible.
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The Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street. An imam is in critical condition after being shot outside the mosque on Wednesday morning, Fox News can confirm. (Google Maps)
"At a time when bias incidents against members of the Muslim community are on the rise, we know that this act of gun violence will heighten fears and concerns in our state," Platkin said.
"This investigation is ongoing, but at this time we do not have any information suggesting the crime was motivated by bias. Every possible angle will, of course, be explored, and every lead will be fully investigated to bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice."
Murphy offered his prayers for Sharif.
"At a time when the Muslim community is concerned by an increase of bias incidents and crimes, I want to assure the Muslim community and people of all faiths that we will do everything in our power to keep all residents safe, especially in or near our houses of worship," Murphy posted on X.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said it was shocked to learn of the shooting.
"At this time, we do not have information on the perpetrator's motive," Dina Sayedahmed, a spokesperson for CAIR-NJ, said in a statement.
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Sayedahmed said that the imam is a "beacon of leadership in his community" and they "are praying for his full and speedy recovery."
A map pinpoints the Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street in Newark, N.J. An imam was killed after being shot outside the mosque on Wednesday morning. (Google Maps)
"We ask others to do the same," Sayedahmed said. "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."
Wednesday's shooting follows the stabbing of an imam at a New Jersey mosque in April as he led his congregation in prayer.
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephen said: "Every lead will be investigated to bring the perpetrator to justice."
A $25,000 reward is being offered for information on the shooting, authorities said.
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