Chicago suspect faces terrorism and hate crime charges after shooting near synagogue. Here’s what we know

By CNN Newsource

Published November 1, 2024 12:58 am

By Hanna Park, CNN

(CNN) — Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi faces new felony terrorism and hate crime charges following a shooting near a Chicago synagogue, in a troubling incident that underscores the alarming rise of antisemitism and hate crimes across the US.

The shooting occurred amid growing fears for the safety of Jewish communities, with Abdallahi allegedly firing at a Jewish man walking to a synagogue before opening fire on responding officers over the weekend.

Abdallahi remains hospitalized after a shootout with police, leaving authorities unable to question him, instead using digital evidence to establish their case, Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling said at a news conference Thursday.

Here’s what we know:

New charges

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx highlighted the rarity of terrorism charges, noting that the allegations against Abdallahi reflect the gravity of the crime.

“This charge sends a clear message: Any acts that seek to destabilize our communities through fear and hatred will face the fullest measure of accountability under the law,” Foxx said. “The efforts to engage in this crime were not spur of the moment, they were not simply to rattle at the time, but to inflict terror.”

Abdallahi is also charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of aggravated battery involving a firearm, according to the release. His next court date is set for November 7.

Superintendent Snelling emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation to ensure the new charges are justified, asserting that the decision to pursue these charges was not influenced by public pressure or media scrutiny.

Evidence found

Detectives sifted through digital evidence, including evidence from Abdallahi’s phone, which suggested he was targeting individuals of the Jewish faith, Snelling said, without providing further details.

Investigators have found no indication that Abdallahi was part of a larger group, reassuring the public that authorities do not want residents to fear a potential network of individuals involved in such acts.

“There must be sufficient evidence to support hate crimes and terrorism charges, and it was important we took our time to thoroughly investigate and confirm that this was indeed a crime of that nature,” Snelling said.

“We will never go out in public, make statements, allegations, accusations or attempt to bring charges without any proof of what we’re attempting to charge someone for.”

Investigative findings and official responses

Abdallahi, 22, is accused of opening fire on a 39-year-old Jewish man Saturday morning in Chicago’s North Side before shooting “at responding officers and paramedics multiple times from various locations,” according to police.

In response, officers returned fire, striking the suspect and preventing further injury, as detailed in a Chicago police release on Monday. No police or fire department personnel were injured, although Abdallahi remains in the hospital.

Abdallahi, a citizen of Mauritania in West Africa, previously encountered the US Border Patrol in San Ysidro, California, on March 31, 2023, according to a statement from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement released Thursday.

Following Abdallahi’s arrest, ICE “lodged an immigration detainer with Cook County Jail” on Tuesday, agency spokesperson Erin Bultje said. ICE did not disclose additional details regarding Abdallahi’s immigration status.

Rise of antisemitism and hate crimes

In October, the Anti-Defamation League reported that antisemitic incidents in the US reached a record high in the year following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The latest data, spanning from that day to September 24, shows nearly three times as many incidents as the previous year, with more than 10,000 antisemitic episodes recorded. The majority — 8,015 — were classified as verbal or written harassment, while the remainder included vandalism and physical assault.

In September, the FBI released its hate crime statistics from last year, indicating that the US recorded 11,862 hate crime incidents involving 13,829 offenses, with 22.5% motivated by religion.

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced the Countering Antisemitism Act to strengthen federal efforts against antisemitism. Sponsored by Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the bill would allow the president to appoint a federal coordinator to manage domestic initiatives, among others.

Victim update

The victim was hospitalized following the shooting but has since been released, says Debra Silverstein, the alderman representing Chicago’s 50th Ward, where the shooting took place.

“Thankfully, this victim did not suffer life-threatening injuries. We know that this is something that he’s going to have to deal with the rest of his days,” Snelling said.

Community response

Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the attack, declaring that hatred has no place in Chicago, describing antisemitism as “hideous” and “wicked.”

“This is not just an attack against our beloved community of Jewish people, this was an attack against us as a city,” Johnson said. “Antisemitism in Chicago does not reflect the soul of Chicago. And everyone in our city deserves to feel safe, and no one in our city should be attacked based on their beliefs, their religion, their identity.”

The Midwest branch of The Anti-Defamation League said in a statement shared on social media Thursday that “the charges appropriately reflect” the severity of the shooting.

“We must all turn our attention to supporting the victim and the West Rogers Park Jewish community as they recover from this heinous act,” the statement read.

CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow and Whitney Wild contributed to this report.

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