New York police on Thursday said they identified a “person of interest” in the murder of young tech entrepreneur Fahim Saleh but the suspect was not in custody yet.
NYPD sources declined to reveal further details about the man wanted in the still-unfolding case, reports the New York Post. Police said the crime scene made his death seem like a "professional" job.
Fahim was killed on Monday at his apartment by a suspect who appeared to be professional, police said, noting that the murder seemed to be financial in nature.
The 33-year-old renowned entrepreneur was last seen on surveillance video in the elevator of his East Houston Street building at around 1:40pm (local time), riding up to his $2.2 million apartment.
A man wearing what has been described as a “ninja-like” hood, followed him into the lift and attacked him shortly after the elevator’s door opened directly into Fahim’s apartment.
One of Fahim’s cousins visited him the next day only to find him murdered.
Sgt Carlos Nieves, spokesperson of the New York City Police Department, said they are suspecting the motive behind the murder to be financial.
Who was Fahim Saleh?
Born to Bangladeshi parents, Fahim created his first company while still in high school.
The tech entrepreneur went on to co-found Bangladeshi ride-sharing service Pathao.
He went on to co-found Pathao, a ride-sharing company popular in Bangladesh and Nepal, in 2015. Fahim had recently helped found Nigerian motorbike taxi app Gokada, which faced a setback after authorities in Lagos banned motorbike taxis earlier this year.
He had over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience, according to his LinkedIn bio.
Fahim’s first company in high school generated over one million dollars in revenue. After college, he taught himself how to programme, and started KickBack Apps, garnering over 20-million downloads.
He was an active investor in emerging markets and was investing first in Colombia's largest motorcycle ridesharing company -- Picap, recently valued at $15 million.
“We used to call him the Elon Musk of the developing world,” The New York Post quoted one of his long-time friends as saying.
Fahim’s killing nothing short of evil: Family
His family remembered him as “brilliant and innovative” and called his vicious death “nothing short of evil”.
“No words or actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil upon our loved one,” the family said in a statement, obtained by the Daily Beast.
“We need and urge the NYPD and other members of law enforcement to work diligently to get to the bottom of this horrific crime and bring justice for Fahim,” the family said.
Source: UNB