(NEW YORK) — A “person of interest” is being questioned by the New York Police Department in investigating the murder of a Queens, New York imam and his assistant, ABC News has learned.
The two were gunned down and killed on Saturday near the al-Furqan Masjid Mosque in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens by a lone gunman, who shot both men in the head, police said.
Police identified the 55-year-old imam as Maulama Akonjee on Saturday. The other victim has been identified as Tharam Uddin, 64, of Queens.
The shooting took place on a very busy street, and in broad daylight. Surveillance video appeared to show a man, wearing shorts and a dark polo shirt, creeping up on the men from behind before fleeing. NYPD released a sketch of the shooter that showed a dark-haired, bearded man wearing angular eye-glasses.
Witnesses described the shooter as a man with a medium complexion.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s press secretary said on Saturday that the mayor was “closely monitoring the NYPD investigation of this tragedy.”
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.