West Ridge Synagogue: Chicago man faces multiple charges after officials say he shot and killed a Jew

CNN
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A man faces 14 charges after officials say he shot a man walking to a synagogue and then shot at officers during a shooting in Chicago this weekend.

On Saturday morning, police say a man fired multiple shots at a 39-year-old man in the 24th Precinct, then “fired multiple times at officers and paramedics from various locations.” Officers returned fire, hitting the gunman, Chicago police said in a statement on Monday. No members of the police or fire brigade were injured.

According to the release, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi (22) was charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm. It is unclear whether Abdallahi currently has a lawyer. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 7.

The shooting victim was released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon, said Debra Silverstein, alderwoman of Chicago’s 50th Ward, where the shooting occurred.

Although Abdallahi has been charged in the shooting, police say the motive is under investigation. Detectives were unable to interview Abdallahi because of his injuries, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said at a news conference Monday. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said Tuesday’s detention hearing for Abdallahi was adjourned and the court ordered his detention until he could appear.

The FBI Chicago Division said it is working with local, state and federal partners to provide resources and assistance as the investigation continues. The department encouraged the public to contact them with any information regarding the incident.

“Illinois residents deserve to feel safe walking the streets of our neighborhoods, and we are committed to restoring a sense of calm to the community,” the department said in a statement to CNN.

Silverstein said the victim – a Jewish resident of the area and a member of the same synagogue she attends – “was the target of violence.”

“He was shot while walking to the synagogue to peacefully observe the Sabbath. “The victim of this senseless violence should be able to walk safely and without fear, just as every person in this city should be able to do,” Silverstein said.

She emphasized community concern over the seriousness of the attack, which occurred the day after the Jewish holiday of Simhat Torah.

“While the motive is still under investigation, the community is rightly concerned about the nature and timing of the attack,” she added.

Here’s what we know so far about the shooting and the investigation:

Police said Abdallahi shot the man in the arm without saying a word. When officers and paramedics arrived on the scene, he allegedly fired multiple shots at them from various locations.

Police reported that shots were fired at the ambulance, but no officers or paramedics were injured. Officers then returned fire, shooting at Abdallahi, who was taken to hospital where he remains treated for his injuries.

“We are grateful that the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening,” Snelling said. “This incident was also a stark reminder of the danger our first responders face as they were also fired upon but fortunately were not hit.”

Chicago police told CNN on Tuesday that Abdallahi said “Allah Akbar” during the encounter with police. However, the intent and context of the comment were unclear. Police said he made no comment either before or during the shooting of the victim.

“The statements he made while he was contacting our officers are nothing that we can present as evidence at this point that would support his motives for his actions towards our officers, or towards our victim,” said Detective Chief Antoinette Ursitti. press conference.

Less than 30 minutes after the shooting, the suspect was arrested at 10 a.m. Saturday near the scene of the shooting, it said.

Silverstein said the victim “is doing well and in good spirits.”

The police added that a weapon was seized at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing and detectives are working to determine a motive for the shooting. Authorities are working to “hold this individual accountable for the acts of violence he committed,” Snelling said.

“We understand the concerns surrounding this incident and are doing everything we can to keep the community safe, and we want to restore residents’ sense of safety,” Snelling said.

With some Jewish leaders calling for hate crime charges, police say they still need to interview the suspect and collect evidence before considering such charges.

Superintendent Snelling urged the public not to jump to conclusions about the shooting.

“There has been a lot of information circulating about the shooting and we ask the public to take their time in assessing this situation,” he said Monday. “We continue to investigate based on available facts and evidence.”

“We don’t go in and assume everything is a hate crime, but we don’t rule out the possibility,” he added.

On Monday, Silverstein said she was upset that there were no hate crime charges in the case.

“Police have assured me that they are continuing to gather evidence and additional charges – including hate crime charges – may still be brought” – Silverstein he said.

Shoshanah Conover, senior rabbi at Temple Sholom, also said the community is frustrated by the lack of hate crime charges.

“While the lack of hate crime charges is frustrating, most of the people I have spoken to in our community are grateful for the immediate police response and protection they provided as hate crimes escalated in so many communities,” Conover told CNN on Tuesday.

“People who understand the hate crime prosecution process know that sometimes it takes time to gather enough evidence to sustain a charge. With that in mind, I hope that our community will continue to put pressure on them to conduct a thorough investigation, as this could certainly be considered a hate crime against a devout Jew going to synagogue,” Conover added.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said that “all Chicagoans deserve to feel safe and protected throughout the city.” According to to the post on Page X. “There is still much work to be done and we are committed to urgently improving community safety in every neighborhood.”

Sen. Dick Durbin called the incident “unacceptable.”

“Anti-Semitism is on the rise in America and we must remain laser-focused on rooting it out” – Durbin he said on X. “I stand with the Jewish community in Chicago and across the country.”

The Midwestern arm of the Anti-Defamation League he said in a post on X, “the shooting appears to be a hate crime regardless of where the investigation ends.”

CNN’s Dalia Faheid, Bill Kirkos and Whitney Wild contributed to this report