Authorities investigate possible connection after 4th Muslim man slain in Albuquerque

Authorities are trying to determine whether the slayings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, including one overnight, are connected.

Three of the killings have happened in the last two weeks, and one occurred in early November, Albuquerque police said. All four victims are Muslim men from South Asia.

Friday’s shooting was reported just before midnight on the edge of a community known as the International District, southeast of downtown, Albuquerque police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said at a Saturday news conference.

The victim is a man in his mid-20s whose identity has not been confirmed, police said.

“With previous three murders we mentioned on Thursday, there is reason to believe this death is related to those shootings,” Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said.

Police have refrained from saying the killings were motivated by hate. “We don’t know that at this point," Gallegos said.