On August 5, 2022, Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old native of Pakistan, was found dead from a gunshot wound in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The incident occurred in the Highland Business neighborhood, specifically in a parking lot at the intersection of Truman Street and Grand Avenue. Hussain was shot while sitting in the driver's seat of his white Toyota 4-Runner.
The investigation into Hussain's murder was part of a broader inquiry into a series of killings targeting Muslim men in Albuquerque.
Prior to Hussain's death, three other Muslim men had been killed in similar ambush-style shootings. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, was killed on August 1, 2022, while Aftab Hussein, 41, was killed on July 26, 2022. Both men were also from Pakistan and members of the same mosque as Hussain. The first victim, Mohammad Ahmadi, a 62-year-old Muslim man of Afghan descent, was killed on November 7, 2021, outside a market and cafe he owned with his brother.
The police investigation led to the identification of a suspect, Muhammad Syed, a 51-year-old man who had moved to the U.S. from Afghanistan several years ago. Syed was arrested on August 9, 2022, following a tip from the community that led police to a gray Volkswagen Jetta with tinted windows, which was seen fleeing the scene of Hussain's murder. The car was stopped by New Mexico State Police near Santa Rosa, New Mexico, about 115 miles east of Albuquerque. Syed was detained at the traffic stop and subsequently charged with the murders of Naeem Hussain and Aftab Hussein.
Surveillance video played a crucial role in identifying Syed and his vehicle. Detectives obtained footage showing the Volkswagen Jetta fleeing the scene after Hussain was shot. Additional surveillance video and tips from the public helped confirm that Syed was the owner of the car. Upon his arrest, police executed a search warrant at Syed's home, where multiple firearms were recovered, including one gun found inside the home and another inside the car that matched those used in the crime scenes.
Syed has been charged with three counts of First Degree Murder and four counts of Tampering with Evidence for the murders of Aftab Hussein, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, and Naeem Hussain. He is also considered the prime suspect in the murder of Mohammad Ahmadi, although formal charges for that case were still pending as of the initial reports. The police and prosecutors were working to compile more evidence to build a case for the remaining two murders.
The community and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and New Mexico State Police, were heavily involved in the investigation. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham deployed additional state police officers to assist in the investigation, emphasizing the commitment to bringing the perpetrator to justice and ensuring the safety of the Muslim community. The Council on American-Islamic Relations also offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the murders.
Syed's background includes multiple arrests on misdemeanor domestic violence charges, which were later dismissed. His son was also questioned by police but was released. The investigation did not initially indicate that the murders were part of a serial killer case or hate crimes, although there were concerns and vigilance within the Muslim community due to the targeted nature of the killings.
