Imam of Utah Mosque in the US Survives Shooting Outside His House After Breaking Ramadan Fast

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Tony Webster)

A masked man fired several shots at a Muslim leader outside his home in Utah, United States during the holy month of Ramadan, authorities and local media said.

The target of Monday night's attack on the outskirts of Salt Lake City was Shuaib Din, the imam who heads the Utah Islamic Center, the largest mosque in the state. He was not injured, although his vehicle was hit by several shots, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, citing police.

Din told the newspaper a man had been sitting in a car outside his home before opening fire as he went to attend Maghrib prayers.

"He knows my house, knows my car, knows my schedule," Din said, as reported by Anadolu (25/2).

Din said he had broken his fast with his family at home, about two minutes from the mosque.

"When he came out of his garage, the gunman, wearing a mask and a hoodie, got out of the vehicle and fired several shots before fleeing," he said.

After calling 911, Din said he tried to get the number plate of the suspect's vehicle. The shooter then returned, approached Din's vehicle and fired at least eight more shots, he said.

"The bullets hit the front and back seats and the windshield," said Din. He tried to chase the suspect but then stopped the attempt.

Din said he did not know who carried out the attack and suspected it might have been a hate crime.

"I was quite shaken," he said.

Police said no suspects had been arrested, according to the report.

Police later released an image they believe to be the suspect's vehicle, which was described as a white passenger car that may have suffered damage or had a part detached under the passenger side front bumper.

Meanwhile, the Utah Islamic Center in its statement thanked law enforcement and urged the public to avoid speculation, adding that stricter security measures would be implemented at the mosque.

Separately, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. They also called for increased police protection for Din and Muslim communities.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sandy, Monica Zoltanski, said city officials were "deeply concerned" about the incident and noted that it occurred during Ramadan, a month marked by fasting, prayer, and reflection.

"Although the motive is still under investigation, we cannot ignore that this happened during the holy month of Ramadan, a time for prayer, reflection, and seeking peace for Muslims around the world. It makes this incident very disturbing for our community," Zoltanski and the City Council said in a statement.