Police search for suspect and motive after man killed in Philadelphia mosque parking lot while walking to prayer service
By Celina Tebor and Dalia Faheid, CNN
(CNN) — Authorities are searching for a suspect who they say fatally shot a 43-year-old man in an “execution-type homicide” in the parking lot of a Philadelphia mosque as he was walking to a prayer service Tuesday.
Philadelphia police on Wednesday identified the victim as Raheem Jefferson and told CNN the investigation is “very active” and in its early stages, adding no arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
Investigators believe Jefferson was the “intended target” of the shooting, but a motive wasn’t immediately clear, city police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Tuesday. Police have been speaking with at least one witness to the shooting, he said.
Philadelphia police responded to several 911 calls reporting gunshots just before 5 p.m., Small said. Officers found the victim unresponsive in the parking lot of Al-Aqsa Islamic Society with gunshot wounds, including at least one to his head and more than one to his torso, Small said.
“The scene is in a parking lot of a mosque, a place of worship,” Small said.
The man was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital at 5:13 p.m., police said in a release.
The suspect, described as a male wearing dark-colored clothes, was seen fleeing on foot and getting into a dark-colored sedan, Small said.
The incident was captured on numerous private surveillance cameras, according to police, with at least one camera capturing the entire incident, the chief inspector said.
In one video, the victim is seen walking with another male to the mosque for prayer service, Small said.
“You see the shooter run up behind the victim and from just a few feet away, begin firing shots,” Small said. “It’s all caught on camera.”
After the victim collapses on the sidewalk, the shooter can be seen standing over him from a few feet away, continuing to fire shots, according to Small.
“So clearly, an execution-type homicide,” Small said. He noted the other person who was walking with the victim was not shot.
At least 17 shots were fired from a large caliber semi-automatic weapon, Small said. No weapons have been recovered, according to police.
“I counted nine very loud rapid thuds one after the other. It made me hang up, go outside, and see what’s going on,” witness Ori Beckerman told CNN affiliate WPVI.
Ashraf Abdelrazek told CNN affiliate KYW that he was inside the mosque when the shooting happened. Abdelrazek ran to the management office to ask someone to call 911 after a mosque employee alerted him about the shooting, he said.
“Maybe I’ll be the one instead of him, when I came to pray, maybe I’ll lose my life like him like that,” Abdelrazek said. “I just see like someone lose his life in one second.”
Authorities are urging the public to contact them with any tips about the incident and are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
“Violence outside of a house of worship is deeply painful and traumatizing for those simply showing up to worship and practice their faith,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X Tuesday. “As an investigation into this killing proceeds, I’m praying for Philadelphia’s Al-Aqsa Islamic Society community, a place I’ve been several times, and hoping they find peace in each other and in their faith.”
US Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said his office is “tracking the shooting.”
“Everyone should be able to practice their faith in a safe environment. I have reached out to local law enforcement to offer support and hope they can investigate this tragic death quickly,” Casey posted on social media.
State Rep. Chris Rabb, who represents part of Philadelphia County, also extended his “deepest condolences” on the mosque’s Facebook page.
CNN’s Sarah Dewberry contributed to this report.
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