- A 32-year-old man has been arrested after murder of Asad Shah last night
- The 'peace-loving' victim was popular in his neighbourhood of Glasgow
- Hours before his death, he posted message advertising inter-faith meeting
- Police confirmed all those currently involved in investigation were Muslim
A man has been arrested after a popular Muslim shopkeeper was stabbed to death by another Muslim in a religiously motivated attack just hours after he had posted a message wishing 'a very happy Easter to my beloved Christian nation'.
Asad Shah, 40, was set upon with a knife and had his head stamped on in a shocking attack outside his Glasgow newsagents shop just after 9pm last night.
A newsagent was murdered by a fellow Muslim after he wished his Christian friends a peaceful Easter.
Asad Shah, who was stabbed up to 30 times at his shop, had praised both the life of Jesus and ‘his beloved Christian nation’. Left lying in a pool of blood, the 40-year-old died in hospital.
Police, who were questioning a 32-year-old suspect last night, said the killing was religiously motivated.
Mohammad Faisal, a family friend, said a bearded Muslim wearing a long religious robe entered Mr Shah’s shop and spoke to him in his native language before stabbing him in the head with a kitchen knife.
‘He went straight for the head. He got stomped on the head as well. His brother suffered a slash down his shoulder area because he attacked him with a knife as well.’
Shopkeeper Asad Shah was killed in a brutal attack outside his shop in Glasgow last night
Witnesses say the victim was stabbed and then stamped on before his attackers ran off down the road
The appalling attack came just hours after deeply religious Mr Shah, who was keen to reach out from the Muslim community to Christian neighbours, posted heartfelt Easter messages on social media.
The 40-year-old was today due to be hosting a meeting with Christian friends about the importance of Easter.
Mr Shah, who is originally from the Pakistani city of Rabwah, posted his Easter wishes on Facebook at 5.10pm last night - just four hours before he was murdered.
The post, the last one he made before his death, said: 'Good Friday and a very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.'
And he added: 'Let's follow the real footstep of beloved holy Jesus Christ and get the real success in both worlds.'
In previous posts, he spoke out eloquently against violence and hatred and called for 'unconditional real love for all mankind'.
A young man cannot contain his emotion as he visits the scene of where My Shah was murdered last night
The appalling attack came just hours after deeply religious Mr Shah, who was keen to reach out from the Muslim community to Christian neighbours, posted heartfelt Easter messages on social media
As news of his death began to spread hundreds of people who knew Mr Shah arrived at his shop to pay their respects.
By 9am flowers had already begun to pile-up in a corner next to the police tape blocking off a large section of Minard Road.
Residents living in the flats on the cordoned off street had to be signed in and out by police officers. Some were in tears as they passed a small, white forensic tent on the pavement just outside the shop door.
About 100 yards further up the street another small white tent could be seen on the road next to the bus stop.
Local resident, Julie MacRae, said she and her family has gotton to know Mr Shah well over the years. At one point she had taught one of his brothers.
Through tears she said: 'I'm shocked because he was so lovely. He's been great to my family. Everyone knew him. Everyone used that shop. He worked very hard.
The killing came just hours after Mr Shah had used his Facebook account to promote an inter-faith meeting
Flowers were placed at the scene. A neighbour said: 'He was the most peace-loving man you could meet'
Mr Shah was attacked outside his shop on Minard Road in Shawlands by two men, according to locals.
One of the thugs is said to have stamped on Mr Shah's head as he lay bleeding.
Locals said Mr Shah was left kneeling in his own blood at the side of the road after the thugs ran off.
An ambulance crew gave Mr Shah CPR at the scene. He was taken to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he later died.
A neighbour said this morning: 'This is disgusting. Mr Shah was the most peace-loving man you could meet.'
'He was proud of his Pakistanti heritage but he loved Britain. He loved Scotland too and really wanted to reach out to Christians. This is such a terrible thing to happen.'
A police investigation has been launched into the full details surrounding Mr Shah's death, with officers pursuing a line of enquiry that the attack was racially aggravated
Forensics personnel sweep the murder scene as tributes and flowers begin to pile up next to a police cordon
Residents in the area have described Mr Shah as a 'pillar of the community'.
Local people were expected to attend a silent vigil in Glasgow on Friday night to remember the shopkeeper.
Earlier, people arrived at the police cordon surrounding the shop - Shah's Newsagent and Convenience Store, in Shawlands in the south of the city - to lay tributes.
Resident Isabella Graham, 64, said Mr Shah employed her daughter at the shop when she was younger and she cried when she called her to tell her the news.
Earlier, people arrived at the police cordon surrounding the shop - Shah's Newsagent and Convenience Store, in Shawlands in the south of the city - to lay tributes
She said: 'He was an amazing, wonderful man, he couldn't do enough for you.
'He wouldn't hurt anybody. Nobody in Shawlands would have a bad word to say about him. I can't believe he's gone.'
Mrs Graham, who placed flowers at the scene with her young granddaughter, said Mr Shah's family had run the shop for as long as she had lived there, for more than 16 years.
One card left at the cordon read: 'Thank you for being the nicest guy on the planet.'
Another read: 'A good man, much loved and a pillar of the community. You'll be sorely missed.'
Meanwhile, vigil organisers Nisreen Sharif and Eildon Dyer said the event would enable the community to come together to mourn the loss of a deeply respected individual.
Police officers stand guard as the road is cordoned off to allow forensic experts to carry out an investigation
As news of his death began to spread hundreds of people who knew Mr Shah arrived at his shop to pay their respects
The event, advertised on social media, was to be held as close to the area's Waverley Gardens as the police cordon would allow. People attending were encouraged to bring a daffodil.
In a statement, the organisers said: 'As a community we are coming together to mourn his death and as a small sign of sympathy towards his family.'
The Reverend Val Duff, Minister of Shawlands linked with South Shawlands Parish Church, said: 'Like many people I am deeply saddened to hear of Asad Shah's death.
'He was obviously a deeply loved man in our community. Our neighbourhood, I know, will come together to mourn his death and to celebrate his life.'
Following Mr Shah's murder, a gofundme page was set up by locals in his honour, so far raising several thousands of pounds on behalf of his family.
Those who set up the page said the money would be handed over to Mr Shah's relatives following Easter weekend to spend how they see fit, be it to cover funeral costs or pay for a memorial.
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