Police release sketch of suspect after mosque leader and friend shot in New York
New York City police have released a sketch of the suspect they say fatally shot the leader of a mosque and a friend as they left afternoon prayers.
Witnesses described the shooter of 55-year-old Imam Maulama Akonjee and 64-year-old Thara Uddin as a man with a medium complexion, last seen wearing a dark shirt and blue shorts.
Police released a sketch of a dark-haired, bearded man wearing glasses.
The gunman approached his victims from behind as they left the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque in Queens shortly before 2pm on Saturday.
Video surveillance showed the suspect then fled south on 79th Street with the gun still in his hand.
Police have not determined a motive, and said there was no indication the men were targeted because of their faith.
But members of the Bangladeshi Muslim community served by the mosque worry it could be a hate crime, and more than 100 people attended a rally on Saturday night.
Naima Akonjee, the imam's daughter, says her father did not have "any problems with anyone."
The Anti-Defamation League is expressing solidarity with New York City's Muslim community in the wake of the shootings.
The organisation said that while the motive for the crime is still...