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Death Of Brooklyn Woman, An 'Unapologetic' Muslim Advocate, Ruled A Homicide
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 18, 2019
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By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Nov 18, 2019
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The mysterious death of a young Brooklyn woman found in a Staten Island park last month has been ruled a homicide.
Ola Salem, 25, was discovered fully clothed in a wooded area of Bloomingdale Park on October 24th. On Monday, the NYC Medical Examiner determined her cause of death was asphyxiation related to neck compression.
Salem worked as a volunteer at the Asiyah Women's Center in Brooklyn, the city's first shelter for Muslim women and children fleeing abuse. As a teenager, she made headlines for standing up to park rangers at Rye Playland, after she was told to remove her headscarf before getting on a ride.
“She was unapologetic. She challenged authority. She was not afraid of anyone,” Dania Darwish, a close friend and the president of the Asiyah Women’s Center, told the Times earlier this month.
A police source told the Staten Island Advance that it's "unlikely" Salem's killing was random. The NYPD has confirmed that officers visited Salem's home at least five times in the past year, and neighbors believe she left in an ambulance after one of those incidents, according to the Advance.
She had previously placed an order of protection against her husband, a police source told the Post.
Police have not yet made any arrests, and an investigation remains ongoing.
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staten island
Ola Salem
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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