Suspect charged with hate crime after shooting Jewish victim in West Rogers Park: officials
CHICAGO - A 22-year-old man is facing charges of terrorism and a hate crime after he allegedly shot a Jewish man and fired multiple rounds at police officers in West Rogers Park last weekend.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, and others provided an update on the case Thursday afternoon.
The suspect, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, remains hospitalized for injuries sustained in the incident, which occurred around 9:35 a.m. last Saturday near the 6800 block of North Washtenaw Avenue.
Police said Abdallahi approached the victim, a 39-year-old man, from behind as he walked to a synagogue and shot him. The victim, who was struck in the shoulder, was hospitalized and later released.
When officers and paramedics responded to the scene, Abdallahi allegedly fired multiple shots at them from various locations. No officers or paramedics were injured, though an ambulance was struck. Police returned fire, critically injuring Abdallahi.
Abdallahi was arrested about 30 minutes after the initial shooting.
With the additional charges filed Thursday, Abdallahi now faces one count of terrorism, one count of a hate crime, six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer or firefighter, and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to authorities.
"There's absolutely no place in Chicago for antisemitism. There's no place in our city for hatred directed toward our Jewish community. Now that the charges have been issued, I can speak in more specificity in the attack that took place that was clearly motivated by hatred. But hatred towards our Jewish community," Johnson said. "It is not only hideous, it is wicked. And as a leader of this city, as a husband and a father, it grieves me and it breaks my heart knowing that our Jewish city doesn't feel safe..."
Foxx said digital and forensic evidence indicated Abdallahi had specifically targeted the Jewish community.
"Based on information contained from that digital evidence, we were able to determine that this individual plotted on this particular community, sought out this particular community, sought out this particular faith, that 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," she said.
The American Jewish Committee Chicago released a statement on the newly-announced charges:
"Since Saturday, Chicago's Jewish community has been seeking reassurance that authorities were investigating this attack as a hate crime because we were deeply concerned that a member of our community was violently targeted. With that said, we continue to urge a thorough investigation so that justice can be served."
Abdallahi was due in court on Tuesday but could not appear due to his hospitalization. Foxx said his next court date is scheduled for Nov. 7, but it may be postponed depending on his medical condition.
RELATED STORIES: