Imam, assistant killed near US mosque

New York, Aug 14 (IANS) An Imam and his assistant were shot and killed by a lone gunman on Saturday in broad daylight while they were leaving a mosque in the Queens Borough of New York City.

The shooting occurred around 2 p.m. near the Al-Furqan Masjid Mosque, where the two victims were attending their Saturday afternoon prayers, Xinhua reported.

The victims were wearing traditional Muslim garb and were both shot in the head from close range. The killer approached them from behind, according to the police.

The investigation into the motive behind the attack was underway, police said.