01/11/24
Hate crime charge filed after Jewish man shot while walking to Chicago synagogue
Chicago authorities filed hate crime and terrorist charges against a suspect accused of shooting a Jewish man walking to synagogue and then opening fire on police and medical emergency responders.
The announcement comes after the shooting drew fierce condemnation from the city's Jewish community as leaders called for cate crime charges against the suspect, saying the victim had been targeted because of his faith.
Police say Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, shot a 39-year-old man who was wearing a kippah head covering and walking to synagogue Saturday morning in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, north of the city's downtown area.
As officers and paramedics arrived at the scene, the gunman fired multiple shots toward them and struck an ambulance before officers returned fire and struck Abdallahi, officials said.
Abdallahi remains in the hospital and has been unable to speak with law enforcement as of Thursday, said Larry Snelling, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The victim's injuries were non-life-threatening and he has been released from a local hospital.
Police earlier in the week announced initial charges against Abdallahi, including six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm toward a police officer or firefighter, and one count of aggravated battery with a discharge of a firearm. Officials at the time did not rule out the possibly of a hate crime but said they were working to identify a motive.
Snelling told reporters on Thursday that evidence obtained from the suspect's phone indicated he "specifically targeted people of Jewish faith." He did not provide additional details.
"This evidence allowed us to secure the terrorism and hate crime charges," he said.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said at the same news conference that the attack was "clearly motivated by hatred towards our Jewish community." He added: "There is no place in Chicago for antisemitism."
Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, a member of the Chicago City Council who was among a group of local Jewish leaders urging for hate crime charges, thanked investigators for their work and members of her community for their patience.
"I know it's been a very, very difficult time for all of us," said Silverstein, who attends the same synagogue as the victim. "We are a strong, united, resilient community and we will remain that way."
In the year since the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, antisemitic incidents in the U.S., including harassments, vandalism and physical assault, have surged, according to the Anti-Defamation League. There has also been a spike in reports of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian incidents, according to the Council on American–Islamic Relations.
The rise in such incidents have put all levels of law enforcement agencies on high alert as federal authorities monitor threats and local officials bolster surveillance and security at mosques and synagogues.
Snelling told reporters the Chicago Police Department is placing additional resources around places of worship and will pay "special attention" to the synagogue where Saturday's shooting occurred.
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