NEWARK, New Jersey (NewsNation) — An imam is in critical condition after he was shot outside a mosque in Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday, the Newark Department of Public Safety confirmed to NewsNation.
Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said police responded to a call of a man shot at South Orange Avenue and Camden Street around 6:15 a.m.
NBC News reports the person was shot at the Masjid Muhammad-Newark. A person who answered the door at the mosque told NBC New York the victim is Imam Hassan Sharif.
“The victim was transported to University Hospital and is reportedly in critical condition. This incident remains under investigation,” Fragé said.
A motive for the shooting remains unclear. Officials did not report whether any students were inside the attached Clara Mohammad School-Newark at the time, as per the New York Post.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a post on X that it is gathering information on the shooting.
“We are deeply concerned about this incident and pray for the speedy recovery of the imam. Anyone with information about the shooting should immediately contact local police,” CAIR-National wrote.
