WASHINGTON

A masked gunman fired multiple shots at a Muslim leader outside his home in Utah during the holy month of Ramadan, authorities and local media said Tuesday.

The target of the Monday evening attack in suburban Salt Lake City was Shuaib Din, an imam who leads the Utah Islamic Center, the state’s largest mosque. He was not injured, though his vehicle was struck several times, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, citing police.

Din told the newspaper that a man had been sitting in a car outside his home before opening fire as he left to attend evening prayers.

“He knew my house, knew my car, knew my schedule,” Din said.

Din said he had broken his fast with his family at home, about two minutes from the mosque. As he pulled out of his garage, the gunman, wearing a mask and hoodie, exited a vehicle and fired multiple shots before fleeing, he said.

After calling 911, Din said he tried to obtain the suspect’s license plate number. The gunman then returned, pulled alongside Din’s vehicle and fired at least eight more shots, he said.

Bullets struck the front and rear seats and the windshield, Din said. He attempted to pursue the suspect but later abandoned the effort.

Police said no suspect has been taken into custody, according to the report.

Police later released images of what they believe is the suspect’s vehicle, described as a white passenger car that may have damage or a loose piece hanging beneath the front passenger-side bumper.

In a statement, the Utah Islamic Center thanked law enforcement and urged the public to avoid speculation, adding that heightened security measures would be implemented at the mosque.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. It also called for increased police protection for Din and the Muslim community.

Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said city officials were “deeply troubled” by the incident and noted it occurred during Ramadan, a month marked by fasting, prayer and reflection.

“While the motive remains under investigation, we cannot ignore that this occurred during the sacred month of Ramadan -- a time of prayer, reflection, and peace for Muslims around the world. That makes this especially unsettling for our community,” Zoltanski and the City Council said in a statement.

Din said he did not know who carried out the attack and suggested it may have been a hate crime.

“I was pretty shook up,” he said.