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A man was shot dead “execution-style” in the parking lot of a north Philadelphia mosque while walking to a prayer service on Tuesday afternoon, according to authorities.
Philadelphia Police said on Wednesday morning that Raheem Jefferson, 43, had been gunned down outside the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society by an unknown assailant – with no arrests made and no weapon recovered.
It remains unclear if the incident was a robbery, gang-related, or a hate crime.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters that officers had been called to report of shots fired at the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society shortly before 5pm on Tuesday.
There, officers found Jefferson sprawled out in the parking lot unresponsive, with gunshot wounds to the chest, torso, and head.
At the scene, investigators recovered 17 shell casings from a large-caliber semiautomatic firearm.
Jefferson was rushed to nearby Temple Hospital, where he was pronunced dead at 5.14pm, PPD Officer Shawn Ritchie said in an email.
Police said that they had found at least one witness to the killing.
Surveillance cameras in the area captured footage of Jefferson walking to the Al-Aqsa mosque with another man, when a third man, dressed in dark clothing, ran up behind them and began firing shots at Jefferson.
When Jefferson crumpled to the pavement, the gunman stood over him and continued to fire, Small said.
The shooter then fled on foot before getting into a dark-colored sedan and driving away.
Ashraf Abdelrazek, 36, is an area shopkeeper and regular at the mosque.
He told The Independent that he was there getting ready for afternoon prayers when he heard the shots ring out.
“I was inside the mosque and one of the employees told me to call 911 because someone got shot in the lot outside,” Abdelrazek told The Independent. “After this, I went outside [and] I saw the guy lying on the ground, bleeding. One of the cars had a bullet in the radiator, the fluid was draining out of it. I see on the ground, many bullets. And one AirPod.”
Officers locked down the crime scene, closed the gate to the lot, and didn’t let anyone in or out for the next few hours, Abdelrazek said.
Jefferson had been to services at Al-Aqsa “a couple of times” before, and was there on Tuesday to pray, according to Abdelrazek.
“This guy has a family, of course,” Abdelrazek said. “I feel sad for his family. This is the world we live in.”
The mosque’s imam, Mohamed Shehata, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday morning.
In an emailed statement, Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that the community was “shocked and concerned by this tragic incident”.
“Al-Aqsa Islamic Society mosque has a beautiful and dedicated community with a long history at its location in Kensington,” the statement said.
“Whether this tragic shooting is related to the gun violence epidemic in our city or another reason, we call on our local leaders and interfaith groups to stand together to offer their support to the Al-Aqsa community.
“As the investigation continues, we urge Philadelphia Police and the mayor’s office to update the community swiftly and ensure every angle is meticulously explored.”
Pennsylvania officials have also spoken out to condemn the killing.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on social media: “Violence outside of a house of worship is deeply painful and traumatizing for those simply showing up to worship and practice their faith.”
Senator Bob Casey said that “everyone should be able to practice their faith in a safe environment.”
Beyond the mosque, the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society also runs a school, grocery store, community center, and playground. Its website says it “has regularly sought to engage with those from all backgrounds, cultures, and faiths.”
Members of Al Aqsa provide free meals for hundreds of the faithful during Ramadan, but also to neighbors, the homeless, and anyone in need.
“We’re all family here, we can’t turn anyone away,” Anas Dabbour, who helps run the mosque’s kitchen and in-house grocery store, told WHYY in 2019. “If we have food, we have to give it.”
The shooting comes nine years after a severed pig’s head was dumped on the grounds of the mosque in 2015 in what police deemed a possible hate crime.
In a show of interfaith unity the following year, a Jewish teen organized a friendly basketball game between young members of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El in the suburb of Wynnewood and boys from the high school run by Al-Aqsa.
In 2019, Al-Aqsa came under fire for hosting an imam who delivered a sermon in which he referred to Jews as the “vilest” people. The comments were later condemned by the mosque’s board as “reprehensible.”
Philadelphia’s homicide rate is down 37 per cent year-to-date, with 155 killings since January, according to Philadelphia Police Department data. It’s the lowest murder rate since 2015, when there were 149 homicides for the year. In 2023, Philadelphia saw 245 homicides; 317 in 2022; 319 in 2021; and 248 in 2020.
