Sandy man charged with shooting at Utah imam, but case no longer considered hate crime

SANDY — A Sandy man was charged with more than a dozen felonies Tuesday accusing him of shooting at the leader of the West Jordan-based Utah Islamic Center.

But prosecutors now believe the confrontation involved two men who were previously acquainted with each other and the incident was not a hate crime.

Abdul Raouf Afridi, 39, is charged in 3rd District Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; and stalking while using a weapon likely to cause death, a second-degree felony, or in the alternative, stalking while using a weapon likely to cause death, a second-degree felony. He was also charged with aggravated assault and 13 counts of discharge of a gun, third-degree felonies.

Although the case was investigated as a possible hate crime, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said Tuesday that police later determined the victim and Afridi have a prior history, and “past interactions likely motivated the alleged actions of the defendant.”

“Though the investigation ultimately showed that this alleged crime was not a hate crime, it initially caused concern that a Muslim imam was targeted during Ramadan. This is still an act of violence on a member of our community. This office will fight for accountability for a victim who was simply leaving his home to go to his mosque,” Gill said.

On Feb. 23, Imam Shuaib Din left his home to attend a prayer service at the Utah Islamic Center.

“He observed a white vehicle with headlights on that was parked in front of his daughter’s car. (Imam Shuaib) stated he observed the suspect step out of the vehicle and was holding his hands together with his arms extended outward,” according to charging documents.

Imam Shuaib continued to drive and called 911. He turned onto Riverside Drive, near 9000 South and 700 West, “hoping the suspect vehicle would pass him so he could read the license plate.” But when the other vehicle pulled up to his, Afridi opened fire, the charges state.

Twelve shots were heard. The imam’s vehicle was hit eight times, including twice on the passenger door, police say.

“By the mercy and protection of Allah (SWT), he was not harmed,” the Utah Islamic Center posted on its Facebook page shortly after.

Sandy police detectives collected surveillance video from Imam Shuaib’s neighbors and observed Afridi on the victim’s street about 5:30 p.m., according to the charges.

Investigators did a records check and traced Afridi’s vehicle to Premier Auto Brokerage, 1535 S Major Street, where Afridi holds a dealer license. Police located the Kia Optima he was driving from the dealership and found “a black handgun magazine with 10 9mm bullets on the front passenger seat, charging documents state.

“Detectives also located at the base of the front windshield, under the windshield wipers, three spent shell casings that were similar to the spent shell casings found at the scene of the shooting and the unspent bullets found inside the handgun magazine from inside the vehicle,” according to the charges.

After Afridi was located and arrested, detectives searched his phone and learned he had also been in the victim’s neighborhood between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. that day, and again at 5:24 p.m., 6:12 p.m. and 7:29 p.m., the charges state.

The court documents do not give a motive for the shooting or state how Afridi and Imam Shuaib know each other.