Jewish leaders demand hate crime charges after man shot on way to synagogue

CHICAGO - Jewish leaders called for hate crime charges Tuesday against a man accused of shooting a Jewish man who was walking to synagogue in West Ridge.

Even if legal charges are not approved, they said they know the attack was motivated by hate.

On Saturday, a 39-year-old man was shot in the 2600 block of West Farwell Avenue, while walking to services at the synagogue.

Police said the gunman then turned his weapon on them, firing multiple shots at first responders.

Police returned fire and wounded 22-year old Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, now charged with multiple counts of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated battery but not a hate crime.

The victim, an Orthodox Jew, wore traditional Jewish clothing at the time of the shooting.

Friends said he usually walked with his children but last Saturday, he happened to be walking alone.

"Every single week when he goes to synagogue, he takes his girls with him. His little girls. And this week, this particular week, he decided to go by himself and his little girls weren’t with him. Can you imagine what would have happened if those little girls were with him?" Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois asked.

Jewish leaders said hate crimes against Jews are up 300 percent in Chicago over last year.

Vandalism and discrimination have escalated to gun violence. 

"Our community is scared. For us this was not just another shooting on the streets of Chicago," said Levi Mostofsky, executive director of the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

They’re calling on elected leaders to take a stand for safety for the Jewish community, especially Mayor Brandon Johnson, who they say has not acknowledged the shooting or their pain.