A 52-year-old Muslim physician was killed in Texas after her assailant “came out of nowhere” and fatally stabbed her as she sat at a picnic table.
Talat Jehan Khan, a pediatrician, was stabbed multiple times outside her apartment on October 28 at approximately 1:30pm in Conroe, Texas, according to Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Blackburn. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Miles Joseph Fridrich, 24, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge. He was reportedly arrested in the area, but not at the scene of the stabbing.
A motive has not been determined so far but the killing is under continued investigation. When asked if this case was being investigated as a hate crime, Blackburn reportedly said he could not comment.
Speaking to journalists, Khan’s niece, Mahnoor Mangrio, was quoted saying: “This is an immeasurable loss for our family, completely unexpected… She’s a Muslim, strong in her faith, those are identifiable traits about her. She’s extremely loving, kind. She was my aunt … the best aunt.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Houston, CAIR TEXAS-Houston, said in a statement it is “paying very close attention” to the probe: “We at CAIR Texas pass along our sincerest condolences to the children and family Dr. Talat Khan leaves behind. Inna Lilah Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’oon.
“Allah grant her Jannah Firdaous, Amīn… We are unsure at this moment if this was a hate crime, however, given the tragic circumstances, we are paying very close attention to the investigation,” the organisation said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation while we launch our own investigation and continue established dialogue with law enforcement.”
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The mosque in Texas that Khan attended, the Al-Ansaar Islamic Center, expressed its condolences to the family while encouraging members to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings.
“May Allah (SWT) forgive all her sins and bless her with Jannatul Firdous. May Allah (SWT) bless the family with sabr jamil to bear this great loss. Ameen. Please make Du’a for Sister Dr. Talat Jehan Khan and her family.”
This latest killing of a Muslim-American comes just a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy was stabbed to death in his Illinois home by his landlord, who also critically wounded the boy’s mother in an alleged anti-Muslim hate crime.
Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed 26 times at his Plainfield home by Joseph Czuba, 71. Al-Fayoume died at the hospital.
