On his way to perform a wedding, the first openly gay imam was ambushed and killed.

While traveling to South Africa to perform a wedding ceremony, the first openly gay Imam was ambushed and killed.

Imam Muhsin Hendricks, 58, was in a VW TRoc with a driver in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, on Saturday, February 15, when another car pulled up and blocked their vehicle, according to a statement from Eastern Cape provincial police, CNN said.

According to CNN, the statement said, “Two unidentified suspects with covered faces exited the vehicle and began firing multiple shots at the vehicle.” The driver saw that Hendricks, who was sitting in the back of the car, had been shot and killed as they left the scene.

According to Eastern Cape provincial police, CNN reported that the motive for the murder was unclear.

Hendricks was in Gqeberha to “officiate the marriages of two interfaith heterosexual couples when he was tragically shot and killed,” according to a statement from his non-profit Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, the BBC reported.

The killing was strongly denounced by the South African Human Rights Commission, which also issued a statement urging “law enforcement authorities to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation to determine the motive behind his killing.” “Should it be confirmed that Imam Hendricks was targeted for his advocacy in support of the LGBTQI+ community, this crime would highlight the urgent need for the full and effective implementation of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act.” VISIT PEOPLE