Jewish leaders urge hate crime charges, and patience, in shooting outside Chicago synagogue
Leaders of Chicago's Jewish community on Tuesday called for hate crime charges, and patience, in the shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man who was headed to a synagogue Saturday in the West Ridge neighborhood.Rabbis and the head of the Anti-Defamation League's local chapter called the shooting a realization of the Jewish community's "worst fears."The attempted murder charges filed against Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, are "a good start," said David Goldenberg, Midwest regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. But he urged patience among those who want hate crime charges to be filed as well."I have been involved in literally dozens of hate crimes investigations over the last few years, and I know that sometimes we need to be patient if we want the charges to stick, even when our lived experiences make it seemingly clear and obvious," Goldenberg said.Chicago police have said the suspect was incapacitated and unable to be interviewed by police after a shootout with officers left him wounded. His motive remains unknown, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling told reporters Monday. The suspect was expected to appear for a hearing on the charges in Cook County criminal court later Tuesday.Police have said that the 39-year-old victim was walking in the 2600 block of West Farwell Avenue about 9:30 a.m. Saturday when a man following him opened fire, striking the victim in the shoulder. As paramedics were rendering aid to the victim, and officers were investigating the scene, the gunman emerged from an alley and fired shots at the officers, hitting a Chicago Fire Department ambulance, police said. Police returned fire and struck him multiple times.Goldenberg also urged people not to respond to the attack with hate or "evil words.""I urge our own community, regardless of the anger, the fear, the exhaustion and the exasperation we all feel, myself included, to not use this incident as an excuse to spread hate toward others," he said. "It will not prevent the next attack or help the victim recover any quicker. It might feel good, but it will only pour gasoline on an already raging fire."The leaders, speaking on Tuesday from a North Side Jewish center, said the attack comes amid rising antisemitism documented by a recent FBI hate crime report that shows Jews make up 2% of the country's population and are targeted in 15% of all hate crimes. Related Antisemitic acts in Illinois and nation at worst levels ever, Anti-Defamation League says Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs at Agudath Israel Illinois, said he has spoken to the victim of the attack, who he said is an Orthodox Jew. Soroka said Orthodox Jews are the most vulnerable to attacks because they are easily identifiable by their clothes, and since they don't drive on the Sabbath on Saturdays, must live within walking distance of their synagogue.Soroka said the victim in Saturday's attack usually brings his two young daughters to the synagogue but did not that day."Could you imagine what would have happened if those little girls were with them?" Soroka asked.Rabbi Levi Mostofsky, executive director of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, said the shooting stands apart from typical gun violence seen across the city."It wasn't just another shooting on the streets of Chicago. When a visibly Jewish individual, in an otherwise placid neighborhood, is shot unprovoked on his way to synagogue, we are terrorized," Mostofsky said.
Leaders of Chicago's Jewish community on Tuesday called for hate crime charges, and patience, in the shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man who was headed to a synagogue Saturday in the West Ridge neighborhood.
Rabbis and the head of the Anti-Defamation League's local chapter called the shooting a realization of the Jewish community's "worst fears."
The attempted murder charges filed against Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, are "a good start," said David Goldenberg, Midwest regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. But he urged patience among those who want hate crime charges to be filed as well.
"I have been involved in literally dozens of hate crimes investigations over the last few years, and I know that sometimes we need to be patient if we want the charges to stick, even when our lived experiences make it seemingly clear and obvious," Goldenberg said.
Chicago police have said the suspect was incapacitated and unable to be interviewed by police after a shootout with officers left him wounded. His motive remains unknown, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling told reporters Monday. The suspect was expected to appear for a hearing on the charges in Cook County criminal court later Tuesday.
Police have said that the 39-year-old victim was walking in the 2600 block of West Farwell Avenue about 9:30 a.m. Saturday when a man following him opened fire, striking the victim in the shoulder. As paramedics were rendering aid to the victim, and officers were investigating the scene, the gunman emerged from an alley and fired shots at the officers, hitting a Chicago Fire Department ambulance, police said. Police returned fire and struck him multiple times.
Goldenberg also urged people not to respond to the attack with hate or "evil words."
"I urge our own community, regardless of the anger, the fear, the exhaustion and the exasperation we all feel, myself included, to not use this incident as an excuse to spread hate toward others," he said. "It will not prevent the next attack or help the victim recover any quicker. It might feel good, but it will only pour gasoline on an already raging fire."
The leaders, speaking on Tuesday from a North Side Jewish center, said the attack comes amid rising antisemitism documented by a recent FBI hate crime report that shows Jews make up 2% of the country's population and are targeted in 15% of all hate crimes.
Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs at Agudath Israel Illinois, said he has spoken to the victim of the attack, who he said is an Orthodox Jew. Soroka said Orthodox Jews are the most vulnerable to attacks because they are easily identifiable by their clothes, and since they don't drive on the Sabbath on Saturdays, must live within walking distance of their synagogue.
Soroka said the victim in Saturday's attack usually brings his two young daughters to the synagogue but did not that day.
"Could you imagine what would have happened if those little girls were with them?" Soroka asked.
Rabbi Levi Mostofsky, executive director of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, said the shooting stands apart from typical gun violence seen across the city.
"It wasn't just another shooting on the streets of Chicago. When a visibly Jewish individual, in an otherwise placid neighborhood, is shot unprovoked on his way to synagogue, we are terrorized," Mostofsky said.
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