By: ABQRAW staff
Posted: 8/9/2022 @11:30PM
Muhammad Atif Syed booking photo
Albuquerque –
Muhammad Atif Syed was taken into custody on August 8th, 2022 by a multi agency group of law enforcement in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Syed was taken into custody by a federal and local task force. Syed was shot with a non-lethal bean bag round to gain custody of him. Syed is also connected to other recent homicides of Muslim men for which he has not been charged with yet.
Patreon Members Can Read the Full Criminal Complaint: www.patreon.com/posts/70318621
According to a criminal complaint, the FBI received a tip from someone who stated Syed was the shooter of the Muslim men. Detectives soon found a home address for Syed at 3513 Crest Ave SE Apt A. The complaint goes on to state that detectives secretly followed and observed Syed running errands around town in a Honda sedan with no plates.
A grey Honda sedan with no plates sits out the house where Syed lived. SWAT raided the house prior to Syed’s arrest.
According to the criminal complaint, one of Syed’s son’s described the way Syed bought and outfitted various firearms with a scope. The son said Syed bought an AK-47 and also had a Springfield 9MM handgun. (story continues below)
The type of AK-47 used in the killings.
Detectives interviewed Syed about the murders and he denied any involvement in any of them. He said he was driving to Houston, Texas to find a safer place to live when police apprehended him. He told investigators he knew the victims from parties within the community. He went on to tell police he was in the “special forces” and fought the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Syed has been charged in the murders Aftab Hussein, who was killed on July 26, 2022, and the murder of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, who was killed on Aug. 1, 2022. There are two other Muslim men who were also recent murder victims that APD is trying to ascertain if Syed is also connected to those cases.
Syed has a past criminal record to include domestic violence and violence toward police. Those cases were all dismissed due to victims not cooperating, or the prosecution/police not showing up to testify for the case.