Michigan state investigators said test samples taken Thursday from Hubbell Pond in Milford showed low-level presence of a toxic chemical that was released into the Huron River System by the Tribar Manufacturing company in Wixom last weekend.
Two crews from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy sampled waters upstream, downstream and within the pond on Friday to gather more information on the presence of hexavalent chromium, a known cancer-causing chemical.
According to Michigan authorities, hexavalent chromium is known carcinogen that can cause a number of adverse health effects through ingestion, skin contact or inhalation.
State officials are still investigating why the release occurred, the exact volume and product that was released and the timeline of events.
The Hubbell Pond samples were the only ones where hexavalent chromium was detected, out of the more than 30 samples that were taken from varying depths from near the point of release downstream to Barton Pond in Ann Arbor.
“Liquid containing 5% hexavalent chromium was discharged to the sanitary sewer system from Tribar Manufacturing in Wixom last weekend and routed to the Wixom wastewater treatment facility,” Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy said in a statement.
Michigan authorities advised people and pets to avoid contact with the Huron River water between North Wixom Road in Oakland County and Kensington Road in Livingston County. This includes Norton Creek downstream of the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant (Oakland County), Hubbell Pond (also known as Mill Pond in Oakland County) and Kent Lake (Oakland and Livingston counties).
Residents are also warned not to water their plants with river water or eat fish caught in that section of the river.
Authorities also warned this recommendation could be expanded to other areas of the river as it receives additional test results.
Properly constructed and permitted drinking water wells not influenced by surface water are unlikely to be contaminated by chromium from the river, they said.
Dragons skipper Ben Hunt hoped he had not played with Sims for the last time and said after the game: “I’ve played a lot of footy with Tariq, I really respect Tariq, he’s a good mate, and if that was his final game for the Dragons it would be really disappointing.”
Dragons coach Anthony Griffin conceded there was “always a chance” Sims could have been sent straight from the field, while Cronulla counterpart Craig Fitzgibbon noted Tracey did drop late before he was hit.
Like Manly, the Dragons will finish the weekend four points adrift of the top eight. They face Canberra away, the Titans, Tigers and Broncos in the final rounds.
Zac Lomax converted a penalty goal with three minutes on the clock to reduce the margin to six. They were gifted one last attacking set when the Sharks were ruled to have knocked on, a call that could have gone either way, but it wasn’t to be.
Sharks pin-up Nicho Hynes went over in the third minute, but Jack de Belin hit back for the visitors when Ronaldo Mulitalo failed to catch a Ben Hunt kick.
Both sides lost their way when Tracey was taken from the field and Sims was given a breather, but Cronulla soon got into a groove and pulled ahead through Braydon Trindall, who was only given the nod when Matt Moylan pulled up with a sore quad muscle after Friday’s captain’s run.
loading
Cronulla are certainties to nail a top-four spot. It is a big achievement for first-year coach Fitzgibbon. His roster of him is in pretty good shape and there are no shortage of players at feeder club Newtown knocking at the door for an NRL call-up.
Kade Dykes, a third-generation Cronulla player whose father Adam and grandfather John both wore the Sharks colours, almost had a try on debut when he supported Mulitalo after a break through the middle, but the final pass went behind him.
Inspirational forward Dale Finucane will return from a two-match ban for next weekend’s clash against the Tigers in Tamworth.
A large steel container of unknown origin has been found floating in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Key points:
A large steel container has been found floating in the Gulf of Carpentaria
Container has been marked and flagged with maritime authorities
Marine debris is an ever-present issue on the Arnhem Land coast
The crew of the Wildcard fishing vessel spotted the object to the north-east of Groote Eylandt while looking for mackerel this week.
“It’s about 5 meters by 3 meters by 4 meters — it’s a sizeable chunk of steel,” the Wildcard’s Tiger Davey said.
“It must be a bit empty because it is floating just below the surface, bobbing in and out of the water.
The crew of the Wildcard investigated the floating container but could not open it.(Supplied: Bruce Davey)
“We were only passing about 300 meters off [the container] when we spotted it.
“If you weren’t paying attention or it was night time, it is highly unlikely that it would have been visible on radar or seen by somebody.”
The Wildcard pulled up beside the container, with a crew member diving into the water to inspect the object, but they were unable to open its hatch.
Mr Davey said it was not a regular shipping container.
“We think it’s a fuel pod or some sort of storage pod because it has some lifting lugs and a big hatch on the top,” he said.
“It has a hose coming off it, so I would say it’s off a boat and it’s been lost overboard or dropped.”
The container was too big for the Wildcard to tow to a safe location, so the crew tied a marker buoy to it and flagged it as a navigational hazard with maritime authorities.
Thousands of tonnes of rubbish wash up on remote Arnhem Land beaches every year.(ABC News: Michael Franchi)
Marine debris a major issue in Gulf
The Gulf of Carpentaria has a significant marine debris problem, with ghost nets, fishing equipment, and rubbish from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea regularly washing up on remote beaches.
“With the major shipping routes we have over the top end of Australia, [the container] could have come from anywhere,” Mr Davey said.
“The currents push everything into the Gulf and then the south-easterly winds push everything over to this side [near Groote Eylandt].
“Hence the huge issue with ghost nets and rubbish on this western side of the Gulf… we have quite a bit of flotsam and nets through this area.”
Maritime Safety NT has issued a marine navigation warning about the container.
“A coastal notice to mariners has been issued for the waters off North East Groote Eylandt after a large floating container was spotted in the area,” the Maritime Safety NT notice said.
“All vessels in the vicinity to keep a sharp lookout and navigate with extreme caution.”
Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a lake in Spencer, Massachusetts. Spencer police said the 51-year-old woman was found dead Saturday afternoon, floating near the shore of Lake Whittemore in Luther Hill Park. was reported missing and later discovered by one of the lifeguards on duty, according to police.Police did not comment on a potential cause of death.Luther Hill Park will be closed for the remainder of Saturday, as state police detectives investigate the area with Spencer police.
SPENCER, Mass. —
Authorities are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in a lake in Spencer, Massachusetts.
Spencer police said the 51-year-old woman was found dead Saturday afternoon, floating near the shore of Lake Whittemore in Luther Hill Park.
The woman was reported missing and later discovered by one of the lifeguards on duty, according to police.
Police did not comment on a potential cause of death.
Luther Hill Park will be closed for the remainder of Saturday, as state police detectives investigate the area with Spencer police.
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A 51 year old female was found this afternoon deceased, floating near the shore of Lake Whittemore in Luther Hill Park. State Police Detectives assisted by the Spencer Police are investigating. The Park is closed for the remainder of the day. pic.twitter.com/6ZDHhBEYWJ
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has confirmed an investigation will be launched into Ricky Stuart’s stunning spray aimed at Panthers young gun Jaeman Salmon — as details of the history between the pair has been revealed.
Speaking on the Big Sports Breakfast, Abdo said the NRL Integrity Unit would be looking into the matter, and The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield also explained ARLC chairman Peter V’landys is “aware of the full background”.
The bad-blood reportedly stems from Salmon’s time in the Cronulla Sharks junior system 12-years-ago and an incident with Stuart’s son, who played in the same team, according to the SMH.
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Stuart’s son was reportedly reduced to tears following an incident with Salmon in 2010.
Stuart then made comments which saw Salmon’s father get involved.
The dads then had a heated exchange and had to be separated.
“Not pleasant, I spoke to Ricky late last night and I have spoken to him again this morning,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“He knows that this happened a long long time ago, involving junior football and his son and I think that is common knowledge.
“But Ricky last night chose the wrong platform to speak out about it, and his choice of words were probably inappropriate.”
Sims distract after Tracey KO | 00:37
Rothfield also called for all parties to sit down and mediate the situation which has “lingered on for a long time”.
“I think they (NRL) will have to (investigate), I think there has been quite a significant public outrage over Ricky’s choice of words and again the platform of a press conference,” Rothfield said.
“They will certainly investigate it.
“I would like to see them do it properly and maybe get all parties involved, because it has obviously lingered on for a long time and it is not good for the game when things like that blow up like it did last night.”
MORE NRL NEWS
‘WEAK GUTTED DOG’: Ricky’s stunning spray aimed at Panthers star over low blow
‘OPTICS DON’T LOOK GREAT’: Stuart under fire over ‘very personal’ outburst
BIG HITS: Brave Edwards leads Panthers to victory as Raiders’ finals hopes fade
GONE: Dragons shock call to sack NRL great as coaching clean out continues
Stuart labeled the Panthers playmaker a “weak gutted dog” in his post-match press conference, referencing his previous run-ins with Salmon.
The 23-year-old was placed on report for kicking out at Canberra dummy-half Tom Starling in a tackle.
“But where Salmon kicked Tommy (Starling), it ain’t on,” Stuart said.
Canberra Raiders press conference | 06:28
“I have had history with that kid (Salmon). I know that kid very well.
“He was a weak gutted dog as a kid and he hasn’t changed now. He is a weak gutted dog person now.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary chose not to respond to Stuart’s comments, and Rothfield explained the Raiders coach’s biggest problem is his inability to control his emotions.
“I am very close to Ricky and we know how emotional he gets,” Rothfield said.
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“Ricky’s biggest problem as a football coach and even when he was a player, he is one of those guys that gets so emotionally worked up.
“He has never been good at controlling those emotions, and you can say it wasn’t in the heat of battle, but after you have lost an important game you are still worked up.
“You aren’t thinking as clearly.
“I am not defending him at all, but it is a difficult one for the NRL to manage, I know Peter V’landys is aware of the full background so it is going to be an important story.”
Unlike CPAC’s Orlando event in February — and the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Nashville conference in June — the weekend gathering was missing most of the non-Trump names floated as potential 2024 contenders, though Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) were among the elected officials who spoke.
And while Trump’s dominant standing in the GOP has never been under greater threat from a rising crop of ambitious Republicans, the event highlighted his continued pull with the party’s activists. A straw poll survey of CPAC Texas attendees’ 2024 preferences showed Trump leading with 69 percent support, 10 percentage points higher than his showing of him at the February gathering in Florida. DeSantis came in second place with 23 percent.
Trump’s approval rating among attendees was at 99 percent. Poll methodology, including the survey size and margin of error, were not provided.
“I’ve said the last couple CPACs, I don’t think it can go any higher,” said Jim McLaughlin, a Trump campaign pollster who conducts the CPAC straw polls.
McLaughlin argued that the response from the gathering proved Trump’s influence is not wanting.
“Matter of fact, what’s happening is he’s more popular than ever,” McLaughlin said.
Taking the stage soon after at the Hilton Anatole on Saturday evening, Trump declared that the CPAC straw poll is a “very respected” survey.
“When you see those numbers, there is a great feeling of unity,” Trump said. “Not only at CPAC, but I think the Republican Party.”
Yet while straw polls at other gatherings of conservative activists have also shown that Trump would start a 2024 primary campaign with a strong lead, recent polling of the broader GOP electorate has told a slightly different story.
A Siena College/New York Times poll conducted last month showed the former president with support from just under half of Republican primary voters in a matchup with several other candidates. Trump led with 49 percent of the vote, followed by DeSantis with 25 percent.
In a separate poll question removing Trump as an option for 2024, 59 percent of CPAC Texas attendees supported DeSantis for president, followed by 8 percent for Donald Trump Jr.
Trump on Saturday again teased a run. He falsely claimed that he had won a presidential election “twice,” before adding “now we may have to do it again.”
“But first, we have to win an earth-shattering victory in 2022,” he said of the midterm elections, in which Republicans will attempt to take back control of both chambers of Congress. Trump has doled out endorsements across the country this year, but so far he has declined to put any significant campaign money behind his chosen candidates.
Not only were other top potential 2024 rivals absent from the conference, throughout the three-day gathering, there was little talk of them. Speakers instead focused squarely on Trump, largely not mentioning DeSantis or others as top leaders in the party.
The loudest voices spreading baseless claims of election fraud in 2020 — claims that have repeatedly been disproven in audits, official investigations and litigation — shied away from discussing Pence, even to criticize him.
Steve Bannon, the former Trump campaign and White House strategist who was convicted this week of contempt of Congress, outlined at the conference a vision for the coming years of the GOP. That included more candidates like Kari Lake, who won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Arizona this week after basing her campaign on disproven claims of election fraud. And, of course, it included Trump with a second term in office.
Bannon, who was recently found guilty on two counts of refusing to cooperate with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, riled up the crowd by suggesting outside forces were attempting to jail Trump in an effort to keep him from seeking the White House again.
“They understand they can’t beat him at the ballot box,” Bannon said. “They ca n’t beat his energy from him. They ca n’t beat his vision of him. They’re coming out with a death by a thousand cuts legally, right, and trying to put him in jail to make sure he cannot run again in 2024 and be the rightful president he should be right now.”
President Joe Biden won the 2020 election by flipping five states Trump carried in 2016 and outstripping him nationally by 7 million votes.
In a statement to POLITICO after the straw poll, American Conservative Union chair Matt Schlapp referred to Trump’s enduring prominence with conservatives.
“There’s an unbreakable bond between President Trump and the conservative movement,” Schlapp said. “He simply did the things he promised to do and for that they are forever grateful.”
On stage Saturday, British commentator and former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage told the crowd Trump looks like he is ready for another run.
Farage, who has visited with Trump recently, told the CPAC audience that the former president appears to have lost 20 pounds since leaving office.
“The weight of the world is coming off his shoulders,” Farage said. “His nominees of him are winning the primaries, and I believe Donald Trump is the man to go out there and fight on behalf of America and the Western world.”
Scott, the Florida senator whose 12-point “Plan for America” and corresponding ad campaign has been constructed as a sign he’s laying the groundwork for a presidential run, got the most resounding applause of his speech when he called for a border wall to be named after “President Donald J. Trump.”
The number of Australians hitting the roads in caravans has emerged since the start of the pandemic, as people continue to seek alternatives to international travel.
Key points:
The number of caravans on the road has emerged since the start of the pandemic, the Australian Caravan Club says
The growth in popularity has led to delays in obtaining custom recreational vehicles
The club says a new generation of caravanners is hitting the road, aided by the ability to work and study remotely
The Australian Caravan Club said there were 30,000 new recreational vehicles (RVs) on Australian roads in 2020.
The club said a surge in camper trailer, motorhomes and caravans traveling amounted to 1.7 million RV movements on Australian roads over the 2022 Easter weekend.
Club chairman Ken Newton said market demand and supply chain issues had created a 12-to-24-month wait for custom recreational vehicles.
Taking the stress out of pandemic travel
Mr Newton attributed the rediscovery and rising popularity of domestic road travel to the ongoing pandemic, a quest for freedom and hesitancy about international travel.
“Most people would be happy to travel within this country rather than take the risk of getting on a cruise liner or an overseas flight,” he said.
Happy memories: Denise and Colin Whitehand have traveled all around Australia in their caravan.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Besides avoiding potential health risks, disruptions, restrictions and cancellations inherent in pandemic travel, retired RV owners such as Colin Whitehand appreciate the simplicity of not having to constantly pack up and check out of motels.
“At least you know where your luggage is going to be when your caravan is following behind you!” said Mr Whitehand, president of the Gippsland Gypsies branch of the Australian Caravan Club.
Shifting demographics
More young families are hitting the road, driven by the inaccessible housing and rental market, job insecurity, and a “work-from-van” freedom enabled by wi-fi technology.
There is also an abundance of seasonal work around the nation, meaning more young families are homeschooling their children on the road.
“The average age of people buying recreational vehicles is about 34,” Mr Newton said.
“Baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, once the majority of the RV population, are being replaced by millennials coming through.”
He said many couples who were raised on caravan-park or camping-ground holidays wanted the same experience for their own children.
A thirst for adventure is spurring on caravanners.(Supplied)
“With families traveling on the road with homeschooling, mum and dad tend to be working whether it’s fruit picking or hitting a keyboard for five or six hours a day,” Mr Newton said.
Some families go from region to region house-sitting or providing relief management services to motel and caravan park owner operators, he said.
“Some people just say, ‘I’m going to get a car and caravan, camper trailer or motor home and I’m going to go around Australia and give it a go’. It’s about adventure.”
Driving a “lap” of Australia remains a popular ambition for many road trippers.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Likewise, single women in their 50s and 60s are also increasingly taking to the freedom of life on the road, typically preferring the convenience of a motorhome over towing a van.
“The number of women traveling on their own with a pet is huge,” Mr Newton said.
He said the trend was driven by everything from housing affordability to the death of a partner or healing from illness.
The proliferation of solo travelers even inspired the Australian Caravan Club to facilitate a Lone Trekkers special interest group, which includes solo travelers of all ages.
He said the solo RV lifestyle was particularly inspiring for writers and journalists.
“Technology is allowing you the freedom to be where you are, whenever you want to be, and that’s been a big change,” he said.
“The catalyst was COVID and now Zoom meetings are commonplace.”
The Gippsland Gypsies Caravan Group have bimonthly trips to different parts of Victoria.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Going bush in comfort
Fellow club member Wayne Clark enjoys the freedom of becoming absorbed in remote natural settings where there’s no COVID, often no television reception and no negative news cycle.
Mallacoota Foreshore Tourist Park is a popular destination for caravans and RVs.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
“Some of the remote places you go to, you couldn’t get any further away from reality, you don’t have to worry about anything else,” Mr Clark said.
“You light the fire of a night time, you sit back in your chair and look at that wonderful light show that happens at night time where there’s no artificial light.
“It’s just absolutely beautiful in the outback. You think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Lorraine and Wayne Clarke with friends in the outback on one of their many adventures.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Unplugging from the perils of modern life does not mean unplugging from the comforts of modern life, even when traveling off-road.
With the outlay for a new RV costing anywhere between $70,000 and $250,000, vans come with washing machines, ensuites with hot showers and separate toilets, heating and air conditioning, microwaves, stoves and ovens, and solar panels.
The Clarkes have enjoyed learning about local history while caravanning.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Some RV owners have managed to offset the expense of their vehicles by renting them out on share economy websites such as Camplify, earning hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.
“A lot of people now are traveling shorter distances and stopping somewhere for longer due to the cost of fuel,” Gippsland Gypsies social coordinator Lorraine Clarke said.
Camping in style: in the past five years, most vans have come with larger fridges and separate ensuites.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Club member Barbara Willingham has progressed from a campervan to a van with bunks for the children, to a modern van with an ensuite and large fridge.
“It’s a bit more luxurious,” she said. “It’s like towing your own motel room behind you with all the conveniences.”
Contemporary caravans are equipped with ovens, stoves, microwaves, fridges and comfy beds.(ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim and fiancée Sarah Budge head out for lunch in Sydney’s Double Bay
By Kinta Walsh-cotton For Daily Mail Australia
Published: | Updated:
Former Kings Cross nightclub owner John Ibrahim and his fiancée Sarah Budge appeared sombre on Friday as they went for lunch at Saké in Sydney’s Double Bay.
The pair matched all in black with John, 54, sporting a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans against the chilly weather along with a black coat thrown over his arm.
He accessorized with black and white sneakers and dark designer sunglasses, which contrasted with his stylishly disheveled gray hair.
Kings Cross personality John Ibrahim, 54, (pictured) and his fiancée Sarah Budge appeared somber on Friday as they headed out to lunch at Saké in Sydney’s Double Bay
Meanwhile, his glamorous partner Sarah, 31, wore a black shirt tucked into matching slacks and a fluffy black coat.
Her short dark hair fell over her face which she covered with black designer shades while donning black and white sneakers and carrying a canvas bag.
Sarah and John have been dating since 2015 after meeting when John bought the Potts Point building where she ran a restaurant.
The pair matched all in black with John sporting a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans against the chilly weather along with a black coat thrown over his arm
He accessorised with black and white sneakers and dark designer sunglasses which contrasted with his stylishly disheveled gray hair
In June, sources confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the couple recently got engaged.
A friend of the couple confirmed the birth of their son Elvis in early September 2021, and it’s understood the baby arrived on August 31, 2021.
John has two other children from past relationships, including a grown-up son, Daniel, 31.
John’s glamorous partner Sarah, 31, (pictured) wore a black shirt tucked into matching slacks and a fluffy black coat
Her short dark hair fell over her face which she covered with black designer shades while donning black and white sneakers and carrying a canvas bag
He also has an eight-year-old child who he shares with his long-time friend.
The day out comes after photos recently surfaced from the set of upcoming crime drama Last King of the Cross.
They showed a red light district come to life, with strip clubs and adult stores.
Sarah and John have been dating since 2015 after meeting when John bought the Potts Point building where she ran a restaurant
A restaurant and coffee lounge called the Cosmopolitan is also pictured, but the most iconic set piece is arguably the legendary Porky’s strip club.
The club was previously featured in the TV series Underbelly: The Golden Mile and officially closed its doors for good in 2018, after 30 years.
The 10-part series will tell the story of brothers John and Sam Ibrahim, who were prominent figures in the Kings Cross nightclub district.
It may also explore key events in John’s life, including surviving a near fatal stabbing and other attempts on his life, with Lincoln Younes playing his role.
Sources close to the production say he was ‘very particular’ about the actor playing him but was impressed with Lincoln’s, 30, acting ability and his similarly dark complexion and light eyes.
The day out comes after photos recently surfaced from the set of upcoming crime drama Last King of the Cross. The 10-part series will tell the story of brothers John (pictured) and Sam Ibrahim, who were prominent figures in the Kings Cross nightclub district
Page Oval is far from Canberra’s best-known sports arena.
But its fields are home to a football club that, for some new Canberrans, plays a much bigger role than sport does in most lives.
Key points:
Afghan refugees founded the Canberra Kangaroos in 2013
The club is playing in the ACT state leagues this year
Players face significant off-field difficulties, including uncertain futures
The Canberra Kangaroos was founded nine years ago by a group of Afghan refugees. It entered the annual refugee tournaments held around Australia.
But this year it’s gone mainstream. For the first time, the club is toughing it out in Canberra’s state league competitions.
Its secretary, Ali Ekhtyari, said that while the Afghan community began the club, it now had players from Pakistan, Brazil, South Sudan, Iraq and Iran.
“This club is based on inclusion, to prevent isolation that refugees and migrants often face,” he said.
“It’s really helpful for those migrants who don’t know what to do, how to come out of the isolation, from loneliness.
“This is a good place to be with each other.”
Pitch battles a relief compared with off-field stresses
The club began with Afghan players but is now open to all refugees.(Supplied)
Some of the club’s players face tough challenges away from football.
Goalkeeper Rohullah Hassani has a temporary visa and is fighting hard to bring his family to Australia.
“We have been separated from our family a long time, a decade now,” he said.
“It’s very hard. Every day it’s depressing and we are worried … back home, it’s not very safe, mentally we have lots of stress.
“We are just hoping for [the] new government to give us a chance to bring our family and start a life here.”
However, Mr Hassani said finding a welcoming community in Australia had softened his situation.
“I feel proud and I feel much better since I joined this club,” he said.
Reserves coach Mohammad Aamir said bringing together so many cultures had presented communication challenges.
“It was difficult at the start, I’m not gonna lie,” he said.
“A lot of the boys, they’ve come here maybe a year or so ago, and some of them have been here a bit longer,” he said.
“[Seeing] the guys who’ve been here for a bit longer… bring the other boys in and show them the way, it’s what’s brought the team together more.
“We all understand football to be a universal language and it’s been really good just getting the boys together and understanding their stories, where they come from and how they’re able to transfer that onto the field.”
One of the new players, Hekmat Frotan, moved to Australia last year.
“The most important thing when you come to a new country is to make new friends, to make connections and then, whenever you find something difficult or whenever you face a problem, there should be somebody who [can] help you,” he said.
“It is more than a football game for me — I came, I met new people, I made new friends, I made a new family actually, which is brilliant.”
The police in Albuquerque are investigating the killings of three Muslim men that they say may be connected.
Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41, two Pakistani men who attended the same mosque, were fatally shot within a week of each other, the police said. Mr. Hussain, who was killed on Monday, was the planning and land use director for the city of Española, about 90 miles north of Albuquerque. Mr. Hussein, slain on July 26, worked at a local cafe.
A third Muslim man was killed just before midnight Friday, according to the police. The identity and age of the latest victim has not been released, although the police said he was a “young man” and from South Asia.
The authorities said they believed the recent violence might also be connected to the November 2021 killing in Albuquerque of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, a Muslim man from Afghanistan. Mr. Ahmadi was killed outside a business he and his brother ran on San Mateo Boulevard, the police said.
The authorities did not elaborate on why they thought the killings may be connected and did not say whether there were any witnesses to the homicides, but they said they believed the Muslim community was being targeted.
The Albuquerque Police Department, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, is asking city residents to come forward with any information that could be connected to the killings.
“This is something that impacts us all,” Raúl Torrez, the Bernalillo County district attorney, said at a news conference on Saturday. “Every member of this community has to stand up.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said on Twitter on Saturday that the killings were “deeply angering and wholly intolerable” and that she was sending more State Police officers to help the Albuquerque Police and the FBI She also expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in the state.
“We stand with you,” she said.
Officials with the Islamic Center of New Mexico, still reeling from the Friday night funeral service for Mr. Hussain and Mr. Hussein, said they were shocked to learn of another death the next morning, and that the slayings have Muslims in the city fearing for their safety.
“We are incredibly sickened with the idea that someone has this much hate against innocent people,” said Ahmad Assed, the president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. “We’re scared for our families, we’re scared for our children. And we are incredibly confused about why this is happening.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest nonprofit Muslim civil rights group in the country, said Friday that it would offer a $10,000 reward to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the killings.
“We’ve really never seen something like this, where there’s multiple similar murders that really seem connected,” said Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director for the council.
Nihad Awad, the national executive director of the council, said in an interview that thetragedies affected not only the Muslim community but all Americans. “We must be united against hate and violence regardless of the race, faith or background of the victims or the perpetrators,” he said. “We urge anyone with information about these crimes to come forward by contacting law enforcement.”
