Who killed Malcolm X? Civil rights leader's assassination witness claims he heard NYDP cops ask if gunman was 'with us'

Malcolm X was brutally shot 21 times at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City in 1965

PUBLISHED JUL 27, 2023

Mustafa Hassan (R) made the shocking claims at a press conference (Photo by Spencer Platt and Express Newspapers/Getty Images)

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: A witness to Malcolm X’s 1965 assassination finally broke his silence on Tuesday, July 25 as he claimed that he heard NYPD officers ask if the man convicted of the murder was 'with us'. Mustafa Hassan, 84, made the shocking claims at a press conference held at the cultural center in Manhattan's Washington Heights district set up in Malcolm X's name.

Hassan told the press that he was a part of Malcolm X’s security detail at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965, when the civil rights leader was brutally shot 21 times. Thomas Hagan, who went by Talmadge X Hayer at that time, was arrested at the scene and he soon confessed to firing the gun at Malcolm X. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in 1966, and released on parole in 2010. Hagan was convicted alongside two other men identified as Khalil Islam and Muhammad Aziz, who died in 2009 and 2018 respectively. However, they were exonerated in 2021 after a renewed investigation into the cases against them showed the evidence to gain convictions was shaky and that authorities had held back some information.

African-American activist and Muslim minister Malcolm X (1925 - 1965) addresses a meeting, UK, 22nd November 1964. (Photo by Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Who killed Malcolm X?

Speaking at the press conference, Hassan revealed that he believes Malcolm X’s assassination was orchestrated by the NYPD. He claimed he was checking security when he saw Hayer pull the trigger. "I would later see the same man outside as he was being beaten by Malcolm X's followers, while a group of policemen suddenly showed up on the scene, asking is he was with us," said Hassan, reading from his affidavit. He said the deputies shielded Hayer as they sought to see whether he was "with them." Hassan saw the NYPD 'holding back Malcolm's followers from beating him,’ as per Daily Mail.

Mustafa Hassan, 84, an associate of Malcolm X, points to himself in a picture following the assassination of Malcolm X during a news conference with civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Malcolm X's daughter IIyasah Shabazz on July 25, 2023 in New York City. They allege more information has been discovered which they say points to efforts by the FBI to cover up a conspiracy to murder Malcolm X. Crump and his team said they were unveiling the information, including a new witness speaking for the first time, to show negligence or a possible cover up in the investigation of the famed civil rights leader. Mr. Hassan was at the scene of the assassination but was never interviewed by police. He allegedly heard police ask if a suspected gunman was — Mustafa Hassan, 84, an associate of Malcolm X, points to himself in a picture following the assassination of Malcolm X during a news conference with civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Malcolm X's daughter IIyasah Shabazz on July 25, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

"From my vantage point, this was an attempt by the police to assist him in getting away. Rather than allow the man to escape, I reached out and grabbed this man by the collar to prevent him from escaping," Hassan continued. He then displayed images of the incident and stated that a police officer attempted to stop him from grabbing Hayer. Hassan declared that he accepted the undercover cop Eugene Roberts' account that there had been a 'dry run' for the assassination. Roberts delivered the account while speaking with Dan Rather in 1992 for a CBS program that aired concurrently with the Spike Lee movie featuring Denzel Washington in his Oscar-nominated performance as Malcolm X.

Mustafa Hassan, 84, an associate of Malcolm X, speaks at a news conference with civil rights attorney Ben Crump (L) and Malcolm X's daughter IIyasah Shabazz on July 25, 2023 in New York City. They allege more information has been discovered which they say points to efforts by the FBI to cover up a conspiracy to murder Malcolm X. Crump and his team said they were unveiling the information, including a new witness speaking for the first time, to show negligence or a possible cover up in the investigation of the famed civil rights leader. Mr. Hassan was at the scene of the assassination but was never interviewed by police. He allegedly heard police ask if a suspected gunman was — Mustafa Hassan, 84, an associate of Malcolm X, speaks at a news conference with civil rights attorney Ben Crump (L) and Malcolm X's daughter IIyasah Shabazz on July 25, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

‘The government was involved in the conspiracy to kill Malcolm X’

In February, Malcolm X’s three daughters - Ilyasah, 60, Attallah, 64, and Qubilah Shabazz, 62- announced they intend to sue the police over their father's killing. The case was picked up by renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, with whom they have enjoyed a long partnership. Crump and co-counsel Ray Hamlin are seeking to file a "notice of intent" to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the daughters against the NYPD and other government entities, alleging their complicity in the assassination. The lawsuit will allege that the authorities that were looking into Malcolm X's assassination "fraudulently concealed" information related to his murder. "We are putting forth in our legal action that the government was involved in the conspiracy to kill Malcolm X," Crump said on Tuesday.