Muslim cleric and associate shot dead in New York

US: A Muslim cleric Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55 and an associate Thara Uddin, 64 were on Saturday shot dead by a gunman while walking together following prayers at a mosque in borough of Queens city, New York.

Police in a statement said the gunman approached the two men from behind and shot both in the head at close range in the Ozone Park neighbourhood adding that no arrests had been made.

Spokeswoman for the New York City Police Department said the motive for the shooting was yet unknown and that no evidence has been suggested that the two men were targeted because of their faith but that the police were not ruling out any of such possibility.

Police said the men were both wearing religious garb at the time of shooting.

An hospital spokesman Andrew Rubin said the men were transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre where they died.

Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR said Uddin was an associate of the imam;
Speaking to Reuters, the executive director of the New York chapter of CAIR, Afaf Nasher said;

"These were two very beloved people," "These were community leaders.

"There is a deep sense of mourning and an overwhelming cry for justice to be served," Nasher said.

"There is a very loud cry, too, for the NYPD to investigate fully, with the total amount of their resources, the incident that happened today."

In a news conference held by the organisation on Saturday evening in front of the mosque, the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid, where the two men had prayed, Nasher said

"We are calling for all people, of all faiths, to rally with compassion and with a sense of vigilance so that justice can be served," Nasher said.

"You can't go up to a person and shoot them in the head and not be motivated by hatred."

Police Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner, in a statement said the suspect was seen by witnesses as he flee the scene of the incident with a gun in his hand.

"We are currently conducting an extensive canvass of the area for video and additional witnesses."