Sunni, Shia community leaders hold joint press conference to respond to New Mexico shootings arrest

Yesterday, Muslim community and organizational leaders from the Sunni and Shia traditions hosted a joint press conference to express “unity and solidarity” in response to the arrest of a suspect in the murders of four Muslim men in Alburquerque, New Mexico.

The event was held at the CAIR Headquarters in Washington, D.C and was lived streamed by several media outlets.

Representing the Shia community was Mustafa Akhwand, Director of Shia Rights Watch Organization, who started his statement with Imam Ali’s saying, “People are of two kinds, either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity.”

Akhwand continued, “We must put aside our emotions and work together to bring back peace in our society. We live in a diverse multi-cultural and multi-faith country and everyone is showing love and peace. Let’s keep this peace between us.”