Son of suspect in Albuquerque Muslim killings charged with unrelated federal crime

RIGHT NOW WITH OUR BREAKING NEWS. THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE TO BE VISIBLE IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN THE DAYS TO COME AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEKS TO ENSURE THAT THEY FEEL SAFE. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED PUBLIC COOPERATION. WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL WE CAN RETURN SAFETY TO THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. IT IS THE BREAKING NEWS WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL DAY. POLICE HAVE ARRESTED A MAN. THEY SAY IS THE PRIMARY SUSPECT INVOLVED IN THE RECENT MURDERS OF MUSLIM MEN IN ALBUQUERQUE. AND OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES TONIGHT. STEPHANIE AND EAST HAS REACTION TO FAMILIES MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR LOVED ONES. FAITH A BOY WHO IS AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW MEXICO WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS HONORING THE FOUR VICTIMS. BUT WE DO BEGIN TONIGHT WITH DETAILS ON WHAT LED TO THE ARREST OF THE SUSPECT WHO POLICE HAVE FORMALLY CHARGED RIGHT NOW WITH TWO OF THOSE MURDERS, ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER JOHN CARDINAL JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST ON THE INVESTIGATION. DARLENE AND DOUG, 51 YEAR OLD MUHAMMAD SAYEED WAS ARRESTED BY ALBUQUERQUE POLICE. HE’S BELIEVED TO HAVE KILLED AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOUR MUSLIM MEN WHO WERE RECENTLY FOUND DEAD IN TOWN. NOW, A SEARCH WARRANT WAS EXECUTED AT SAEED’S HOME YESTERDAY. HE WASN’T PRESENT DURING THE EXECUTION OF THAT WARRANT, BUT HE WAS EVENTUALLY ARRESTED NEAR SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO. THIS MAN, 51 YEAR OLD MUHAMMAD SAEED, IS THE PRIMARY SUSPECT IN THE RECENT MURDERS OF AFTAB HUSSAIN AND MUHAMMAD AFZAL HUSSAIN. A TIP FROM THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT HELPED US LEAD US TO THIS SUBJECT AND WHAT HELPED US EVENTUALLY FIND THE CAR THAT WE PUT OUT JUST TWO DAYS AGO TO THE PUBLIC. THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT WAS A TIP FROM THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY THAT LED TO A SEARCH WARRANT AT SAEED’S HOME MONDAY NIGHT. AS WE WERE GETTING READY TO EXECUTE THAT SEARCH WARRANT, WE SAW HIM LOWERED INTO A VEHICLE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, A VEHICLE WE BELIEVE, THAT WAS USED IN THE HOMICIDES THAT WE PUT OUT ON THE POSTER. THAT’S WHEN AUTHORITIES FOLLOWED SAEED’S VEHICLE WHILE OTHERS SEARCHED HIS HOME WITH THE HELP OF STATE. POLICE WERE ABLE TO STOP THAT CAR NEAR SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO. AND AT THE SAME TIME, OUR SWAT TEAM EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT SAFELY ON THE OCCUPIED HOME, TAKING ALL THE RESIDENTS OUT AND ALLOWING OUR CRIME SCENE AND HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS TO GO INTO THAT HOME. SAEED WAS EVENTUALLY ARRESTED DURING THE SEARCH OF HIS HOME AND VEHICLE. WEAPONS WERE RECOVERED THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE HOMICIDES. AND WE BELIEVE THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM INSIDE THE HOME AND ONE OF THEM INSIDE THE CAR THAT WAS PULLED OVER ARE MATCHING TO OUR TWO CRIME SCENES ON RHODE ISLAND AND CORNELL. BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAUL TORRES SAYS SAEED WILL BE PROCESSED SUITED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW. THIS IS IS A COMPLICATED CASE AND I WILL RESERVE FOR A LATER TIME A FULL DISCUSSION OF THE TYPES OF CHARGES THAT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT WEEKS AND DAYS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO FILE MURDER CHARGES IN STATE DISTRICT COURT. WE ARE ALSO WORKING AND IT’S UNCLEAR IF SAEED DID KILL THE OTHER TWO MUSLIM MEN, THE FBI AND APD ARE WORKING ON THAT NOW. WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINUTES, WE DID GET AN OFFICIAL CRIMINAL COMPLAINT. WE’RE WORKING ON GOING THROUGH THAT. AND WE’LL GIVE YOU THE LATEST DETAILS AS WE DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THIS CASE. REPORTING LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE, I’M JOHN CARDINAL KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. THE GOVERNOR APPLAUDING THE COLLABORATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FINDING SITE AND SAYS WHAT IS NEXT IS GETTING JUSTICE FOR THE FAMILIES. WE ARE WORKING ON THE JUSTICE SIDE OF THAT EQUATION, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL NOT ONLY FOR PROTECTING THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, BUT ALSO MAKING IT REALLY CLEAR THAT WE WILL BRING JUSTICE, THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW AND ACCOUNTABLE WILL BE MADE. SHE ADDED THE PUBLIC’S HELP IS STILL NEEDED TO FIND THE PERSON BEHIND THE OTHER TWO MURDERS. CONGRESSWOMAN MELANIE STANSBURY WORKED WITH ONE OF THOSE VICTIMS, MUHAMMAD AFZAL HUSSAIN. SHE DESCRIBES HIM AS OPTIMISTIC AND HOPEFUL AND WHO BELIEVED THAT WE COULD, IN FACT, BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND FOR OUR WORLD. OUR COMMUNITY HAS LOST BROTHERS, FATHERS, HUSBANDS, UNCLES AND BELOVED FRIENDS. AND SHE ALSO THANKED THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR TIPS IN FINDING SAEED. LOOKING NOW AT THE TIMELINE OF THE MURDERS AND WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT EACH INCIDENT, THE FIRST KILLING WAS LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER, WHEN MUHAMMAD AHMADI WAS SHOT OUTSIDE A STORE HE OWNED. THEN THIS YEAR, JULY 26, AFTAB HUSSAIN WAS SHOT NEAR HIS HOME IN SOUTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, MUHAMMAD AFZAL HUSSAIN WAS ALSO SHOT NEAR HIS HOUSE IN NOB HILL. AND JUST THIS FRIDAY, NAIM HUSSAIN WAS KILLED OUTSIDE AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS. AND THIS HERE IS THE CAR. POLICE SAY THEY TRACKED DOWN INSURGENTS IN AROSA THIS WEEK. IT IS A DARK SILVER VOLKSWAGEN JETTA OR PASSAT WITH TINTED WINDOWS AND A DENT ON THE BACK FENDER. OFFICIALS SAY IT WAS USED IN AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE FOUR MURDERS. SAEED, THE MAN POLICE ARE CALLING THE PRIME SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING DEATHS OF THE FORMER MUSLIM MAN HAD BEEN BOOKED INTO JAIL FOR TIMES BEFORE. AND TARGET 7 IS DISCOVERED. ALL THREE OF THE CASES WERE THROWN OUT OF COURTS. MUHAMMAD SAEED HAS NOT BEEN IN NEW MEXICO VERY LONG. INFORMATION SHOWS US HE’S FROM AFGHANISTAN. WE THINK HE CAME IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO THE UNITED STATES IN THAT TIME, HE HAS THREE ARRESTS FOR BATTERY IN WHICH HE WAS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING FAMILY MEMBERS. AND ANOTHER BUST FOR EVADING POLICE. THAT’S OUR ONLY KNOWN HISTORY WITH HIM. LOCALLY. SO HIS FIRST ARREST WAS IN DECEMBER 2017. POLICE SAY HE HAD ATTACKED HIS DAUGHTER’S FIANCEE. THE VICTIM TELLING POLICE IT’S BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T WAT HIM HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAUGHTER. SIX MONTHS LATER, COURT RECORDS SHOW HE WAS ARRESTED AGAIN ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES. POLICE SAY HE PULLED HIS WIFE BY THE HAIR, KICKED HER OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND MADE HER WALK. THEN LATER GRABBED HER BY THE HAIR AGAIN AND THREW HER TO THE GROUND. SEVEN MONTHS LATER, SAEED SON CALLED 911 AND REPORTED HIS FATHER WAS HITTING HIM AND HIS MOTHER WITH A METAL SPOON. THE SON TOLD POLICE SAEED ROUTINELY BEATS HIM AND HIS MOM. IN FEBRUARY 2020, SAEED WAS ARRESTED AGAIN AFTER OFFICERS SAW HIM RUN A RED LIGHT AND HE WOULDN’T IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER. HE DOES HAVE A FEW MINOR MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO SOME OTHER MISDEMEANORS BY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. COURT RECORDS, HOWEVER, SHOW ALL THREE CASES WERE DISMISSED. DA’S OFFICE TELLING US ONE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE WAS DISMISSED AFTER SAEED AGREED TO MEET CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE OTHERS WERE THROWN OUT BECAUSE THE VICTIM WOULD NOT TESTIFY AGAINST HIM. IN THE LATEST ARREST, THE OFFICER DID NOT SHOW UP FOR COURT. AND AS WE TOLD YOU, RIGHT NOW, STATE IS ONLY CHARGED WITH TWO OF THOSE HOMICIDES. THOSE ARE THE SHOOTINGS, DEATHS OF MOHAMMAD AFZAL HUSSAIN AND AFTAB HUSSAIN. THEY WERE KILLED WITHIN SIX DAYS OF EACH OTHER. POLICE DO BELIEVE SAEED KNEW THOSE VICTIMS. BOTH OF THEIR SHOOTINGS HAPPENED IN THE SAME AREA OF THE CITY. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE IT IS MOST LIKELY THE SUSPECT IN THE OTHER MURDERS. BUT ARE STILL COLLECTING EVIDENCE. THOSE TWO OTHER MURDERS ALSO IN THAT SAME AREA OF THE CITY. SO FAR, NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE KILLINGS OF NAIM, HUSSAIN AND MOHAMMED AZARIA AHMADI. BUT EVEN WITH TODAY’S ARRESTS, THERE IS STILL CONCERN FOR MEMBERS OF ALBUQUERQUE’S MUSLIM COMMUNITY. REPORTER FAITH A BORN WHO SHOWS US HOW THEY AND MEMBERS FROM MANY FAITHS CAME TOGETHER TO HONOR THE VICTIMS. THEY JUST WRAPPED UP PRAYER HERE AT THE MOSQUE. LOTS OF MIXED REACTION FROM THE COMMUNITY. SOME SAY IT’S A BIG SIGH OF RELIEF. OTHERS LEFT IN SHOCK WITH THE STRING OF MUSLIM KILLINGS IN ALBUQUERQUE OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. MANY MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN LEFT ON EDGE. BUT TUESDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN ARREST, THIS CAME AS A SURPRISE IS LEAVING SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE A QURESHI AND A LOSS FOR WORDS. IT IS VERY SAD TO SEE THAT THIS HAPPENED WITHIN. WE WERE ALSO CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILIES, OF THE COMMUNITY, OF THE CHILDREN. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHICH WAY TO LOOK. AND WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT REALLY TOOK US BY SURPRISE. OTHERS SAY THEY’RE GRATEFUL THE SUSPECT HAS BEEN CAUGHT, BUT THERE’S STILL SOME CAUSE OF CONCERN. THEY’RE NOT FEELING RELIEVED YET. I WOULD HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY AT I MEAN, WE DON’T HAVE ANYONE WALKING AROUND COMMITTING CRIMES OF THIS MAGNITUDE. WHILE SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DO NOT KNOW THE VICTIMS PERSONALLY, THEY STILL GATHER TOGETHER FOR SUPPORT. AND AGAIN, THEY’RE WRAPPING UP PRAYERS HERE AT THE MOSQUE AND REPORTING FROM THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW MEXICO. FAITH. THEY WANT TO KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS AND PRESENT AT TONIGHT’S VIGIL WAS THE FAMILY OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS, MUHAMMAD AFZAL HUSSAIN. REPORTER STEPH, WE NEED TO TALK TO THE FAMILY AGAIN NOW THAT THAT SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY. FOUR MEN IN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY WERE REMEMBER, TONIGHT? AMONG THEM, MUHAMMAD ASLAM. HIS BROTHER TELLS ME HE IS NOW FREE OF THE FEAR OF BEING THE NEXT TARGETED ATTACK. THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW MEXICO IS USUALLY FULL OF MUSLIM MEN AND WOMEN. TONIGHT, RABBIS, PRIESTS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE CAME TOGETHER. I SEE MANY FRIENDLY AND WONDERFUL FACES HERE TODAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT AND HELP IN ANY WAY WE CAN. FRIENDS LIKE YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT MAKES US BETTER HUMANS. JUST DAYS AGO, IMTIAZ RAISED HIS VOICE TALKING ABOUT THE FEAR OF BECOMING THE NEXT TARGET. WE ARE LIVING IT FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, BUT LIVING IS NEVER FOR NINE YEARS. AND IF THIS HAS HAPPENED HERE. SO WHERE TO GO? WHERE ARE WE SAFE RAISING HIS VOICE AGAIN, THIS TIME IN FRONT OF HIS COMMUNITY, HIS NEIGHBORS AND HIS ALBUQUERQUE FAMILY WHO LOST HER NIECE. THE KIND OF SUPPORT, A BIG NEST. IT’S INCREDIBLE. I ANTICIPATE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A BLOOMING. I’VE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR NINE YEARS NOW. THE FEELING IS RELIEF. WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS IS, IS THE GUY GOT ARRESTED. MY SON SAID, DAD, CAN I GO TO BALCONY? I SAID, YES, GO OUT, OPEN THE DOOR. ENDING WITH THE PRAYER. FROM NOW ON, A TOUGH MAN, IMTIAZ SAYS THE SUPPORT IN ALBUQUERQUE IS UNQUESTIONABLE. I’M HERE SO THANKFUL TO ALBUQUERQUE’S STATE OF NEW MEXICO. I RECEIVED LOVE, WHICH I FEEL LITTLE, THAT I’M MORE THAN LIVING IN MY COUNTRY. PAKISTAN. IMTIAZ TELLS ME HE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE HIS BROTHER’S SUSPECTED KILLER BY NAME, BUT HE IS WAITING TO HEAR THE CONNECTION FROM POLICE REPORTING IN ALBUQUERQUE, STEPHANIE MUNOZ KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU ON THIS INVESTIGATION AS WE LEARN MORE. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE KOAT APP FOR

Son of suspect in Albuquerque Muslim killings charged with unrelated federal crime

Updated: 2:56 PM MDT Aug 10, 2022

Newly released court documents say Shaheen Syed has been charged in federal court for providing an incorrect address on a form when transferring a firearm. Shaheen Syed is also known as Maiwand Syed. Court documents indicate he is the son of Muhammad Atif Syed. According to a federal complaint, ATF agents obtained records about a firearm transferred to Shaheen Syed at an Albuquerque Gun Shop. Agents say they reviewed the transfer of two firearms to Shaheen Syed in June 2021. While agents were reviewing the records, they say Shaheen Syed listed a Florida address as his current residence. ATF agents spoke with FBI agents who went to addresses listed in Florida. FBI agents told ATF agents that the address listed for Shaheen Syed was occupied by a different person and that person had lived at that location for several years. No documents were found indicating Shaheen Syed lived at the Florida address. ATF agents and Albuquerque police officers interviewed Shaheen Syed and learned he had lived in Albuquerque since 2016. That’s about five years earlier than the date listed on the firearm transfer. Shaheen Syed has not been charged in relation to the recent killings of members of the Muslim community in Albuquerque.

Newly released court documents say Shaheen Syed has been charged in federal court for providing an incorrect address on a form when transferring a firearm. Shaheen Syed is also known as Maiwand Syed. Court documents indicate he is the son of Muhammad Atif Syed.

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According to a federal complaint, ATF agents obtained records about a firearm transferred to Shaheen Syed at an Albuquerque Gun Shop. Agents say they reviewed the transfer of two firearms to Shaheen Syed in June 2021. While agents were reviewing the records, they say Shaheen Syed listed a Florida address as his current residence.

ATF agents spoke with FBI agents who went to addresses listed in Florida. FBI agents told ATF agents that the address listed for Shaheen Syed was occupied by a different person and that person had lived at that location for several years. No documents were found indicating Shaheen Syed lived at the Florida address.

ATF agents and Albuquerque police officers interviewed Shaheen Syed and learned he had lived in Albuquerque since 2016. That’s about five years earlier than the date listed on the firearm transfer.

Shaheen Syed has not been charged in relation to the recent killings of members of the Muslim community in Albuquerque.