Orthodox Jew shot on his way to Chicago synagogue; man accused of attempted murder

Chicago Police have charged a man with attempted murder for allegedly shooting an Orthodox Jew walking to a synagogue Saturday morning.

The 39-year-old victim, whose identity was not released, was walking toward the KINS Congregation in Chicago’s West Rogers Park neighborhood when a man approached from behind and fired multiple shots into the victim’s shoulder.

Police said the man, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, exchanged gunfire with law enforcement after police and paramedics arrived at the scene. Police shot Abdullahi, who was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The victim was released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Abdullahi, whose detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, has been charged with a total of 14 felonies: six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm toward a police officer/firefighter, and one count of aggravated battery with discharge. firearm.

The second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, speaking in Pittsburgh on Monday, cited the Chicago shooting in his list of recent antisemitic attacks.

Local officials and Jewish groups urged caution in making inferences about the motivation for the attack. But Debra Silverstein, the city councilwoman for Chicago’s 50th Ward, said in an interview that she was disappointed in the lack of hate crime charges.

“I am deeply disappointed in this turn of events and urge the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to prosecute the criminal to the fullest extent of the law,” Silverstein said. he wrote in an email to his constituents after the charges were made. “Police have assured me that they are continuing to gather evidence and that additional charges, including hate crime charges, may still be added.”

The incident comes at a time when Jewish communities across the country are on high alert. The clash took place just hours after the end of Simchat Torah, the end of the Jewish High Holiday season, and the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to the Hebrew calendar. The multi-front war that followed was accompanied by an increase in reported anti-Semitic incidents. It also came a day before the sixth anniversary of the attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, where 11 worshipers were killed in the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.

Security camera footage published on social media Seems to show some of the Chicago thing. Multiple gunshots can be heard and a hybrid Israeli-American flag can be seen outside the house where footage was recorded, including the attacker’s shouts. Many who listened to the recording concluded that the man was shouting “Allahu akbar” or “Allah is the greatest” in Arabic.

“Given the circumstances, the fact that here was an Orthodox Jewish man specifically wearing a kippah and walking to synagogue on Shabbat, my community and I were really hoping for hate crimes over this,” Silverstein said.

Silverstein, who is also Orthodox, said he could not share the victim’s identity without permission, but that he visited him after the shooting.

It is not uncommon for hate crime designations to be added to criminal charges after they are first filed.

Other local Jewish leaders also said they thought hate crime charges could be coming.

“Assuming the investigation is complete and there is evidence to suggest he was targeted because he is Jewish, I have every confidence that law enforcement (whether state or feds) will investigate this as a hate crime, and we wouldn’t expect anything different,” said Lonnie Nasatir, president of the Jewish United Fund of Chicago. He told the Jewish News Union.

Silverstein said he held a Zoom meeting with Jewish clergy and community leaders as well as Chicago Police leaders on Sunday to discuss the attack.

“Police share their disgust that a Jewish man was subjected to violence during a Jewish holiday,” Silverstein wrote. “They are committed to devoting the necessary resources to keep our community safe and are asking for the public’s assistance in providing any information or footage that may assist the investigation.”

Rabbi Leonard Matanky, leader of Congregation KINS, confirmed to JTA that the victim, whom Matanky knew personally, was a member of his synagogue and went there when he was attacked on Saturday.

“We live in very dangerous times where a lone gunman can wreak havoc on a safe community and cause people to lose their sense of safety,” Matanky told JTA.

Matanky appreciated the response of local law enforcement and encouraged the community not to speculate about the possibility of a hate crime until the investigation is concluded.

“I think the people who are declaring this to be a hate crime, I don’t know if they have any information beyond what the victim has — and I spoke directly to the victim — and I don’t know if they have any more information than the police have,” Matanky said. “It could also be (a hate crime), but at this stage that hasn’t been determined yet. “As the investigation continues, I see no advantage in speculating as it moves forward, and I know it is moving quickly.”

Matanky said the victim was a “very good family man” who was “very well-liked and well-known.”

National Jewish safety groups said that, with high concern about the incident and its implications, they were urging caution in drawing conclusions about what was happening in West Rogers Park, the main center of Orthodox Jewish life within Chicago’s city limits.

“Due to the complex and ongoing investigation, it is important that we allow law enforcement to do their job and avoid unsubstantiated rumors and misinformation until reliable updates are provided by authorities,” said Michael Masters, CEO of Secure Community Network. Operates a national “command center” out of Chicagohe said before the charges were filed.

Silverstein encouraged his Jewish voters to “do our job” in the face of concerns.

“Our neighborhood is always on alert,” he said. “I received assurances from the police and the chief that security will be increased here until the presence of the police. We cannot be afraid.”

Matanky similarly urged the Jewish community to be careful, but not to be afraid.

“My message is that we must always remain vigilant, but we cannot allow actions like this to cause us to cower in fear or diminish our engagement with the world,” Matanky said. “There have always been dangers in this world, and every day we take actions, aware that these actions carry risks. Fortunately, we live in a very safe society. But over the years, the world and society have changed. “We need to be aware of our surroundings and always, always be aware.”