Police did not initially announce hate-crime charges among the 14 felony charges.
By Menachem Wecker and Andrew Bernard, JNS
Chicago is adding one felony count each of terror and hate-crime charges to the 14 felony charges it has brought against Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, who is accused of shooting a 39-year-old Jewish man who was walking to synagogue on Shabbat, Chicago Police superintendent Larry Snelling announced on Thursday.
“Since this shooting occurred, our investigative response team has worked their fingers to the bone to determine a motive,” Snelling said of the probe of Abdallahi, who is also accused of firing at police officers and paramedics on Oct. 26.
Abdallahi’s scheduled appearance in court on Tuesday was delayed, while he remains in the hospital from injuries that he sustained in a two-and-a-half-minute shootout with police officers.
He is now slated to appear in court on Nov. 7, Kim Foxx, the state’s attorney for Cook County, Ill., said at a press conference at Chicago Police Department headquarters at 4:30 p.m. local time.
Snelling and Foxx spoke alongside Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has faced intense criticism from the Chicago Jewish community for issuing a statement days only after the shooting and for not mentioning that the victim was visibly Jewish.
Police did not initially announce hate-crime charges among the 14 felony charges.
“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 at the press conference.
“I want to make this clear to everybody here, everybody in every community: We did not secure these charges because of public pressure or because of media attention,” the superintendent said.
“The responsibility that we have in law enforcement is that 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.”
“This shooting is deeply personal to members of our Jewish community—we know that—but this shooting should be personal to everyone across the city,” Snelling added.
“We have a diverse city. We live in a very diverse city, and anytime someone suffers violence, especially a shooting, we should be outraged no matter where it occurs in our neighborhoods and across our city.”
Snelling said that investigators couldn’t interview the suspect due to the injuries he sustained, so detectives went through digital evidence to establish the case.
“Evidence from the offender’s phone indicated he planned the shooting and specifically targeted people of Jewish faith,” Snelling said. “This evidence allowed us to secure the terrorism and hate crime charges.”
‘Wicked behavior’
A reporter asked Johnson, the Chicago mayor, why he didn’t initially mention that the victim was visibly Jewish, noting that Chicago officials and the Anti-Defamation League were critical of that omission.
“Well, look, it’s important to know that my responsibility as the mayor of the City of Chicago is to keep every single community safe, and I take that responsibility seriously,” Johnson said.
“It is very clear in the evidence that has been brought forward that this individual acted to not only strike fear into the Jewish community, but their action was very clear that there’s hatred towards the Jewish community,” he added.
“I’m going to continue to do my part to ensure that the Jewish community knows that they are loved and seen and heard.”
Johnson said that he is “appalled and sickened by the wicked behavior that came from this individual, and as someone that comes to this job with a deep sense of faith and moral clarity, my stance in my position is lived out every single day in this job.”
“The Jewish community is not alone,” he added. “We’re standing firm with our Jewish siblings, as I’ve always had.”
Johnson has also drawn criticism from Chicago Jews for breaking a tie in the City Council in February in favor of a resolution that called for a ceasefire in Israel without referring to the hostages or to Hamas.
“My words are not as powerful as my actions, and our actions are clear,” Johnson said at the press conference. “Charges have been brought, the full force of government is on display and the Jewish community can be assured that we’re using every aspect of government to ensure that they are safe.”
He added that “there is absolutely no place in Chicago for antisemitism. There’s no place in our city for hatred directed towards our Jewish community.”
Johnson said that as a city leader, husband and father, “it grieves me and it breaks my heart, knowing that our Jewish community doesn’t feel safe and secure in our beloved city.”
“This is not just an attack against our beloved community of Jewish people, it’s an attack against us as a city,” he said. “Antisemitism in Chicago does not reflect the soul of Chicago. Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe.”
‘Deeply concerned’
“Hate crimes are not just crimes against an individual, but are attempts to disrupt the social fabric that unites us all,” Foxx, the county attorney said.
“By bringing terrorism charges, and I will acknowledge that it is rare that we bring terrorism charges, we underscore the gravity of targeting specific communities with violence, intended to intimidate or terrorize.”
“We understand that what happened last Saturday stoked incredible fear in the hearts of those who lived in that community, who practice the Jewish faith, in our entire city,” she said.
Sarah Van Loon, Chicago regional director of the American Jewish Committee, told JNS that “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,” she said.
Debra Silverstein, the alderman of Chicago’s 50th Ward who is Jewish, also spoke at the press conference. She thanked Chicago Police for their efforts, but did not thank the mayor.
“To my community, I want to thank you for your patience. I know it’s been a very, very difficult time for all of us,” she said.
“I do just want to say one thing about the Jewish community. We are a strong, united, resilient community and we will remain that way,” she said.
“I know that public safety is our highest concern, and I give my community my word that I will continue to advocate for the safety of everyone in my community, and I will work together with our friends in the police department to make sure that stays safe.”
Abdallahi has been assigned a public defender, NBC 5 Chicago reported. The defendant reportedly entered the country illegally.
“We know he’s not from Chicago,” Snelling said in response to a question. He said it would be irresponsible to comment on something that is still being investigated by the police and “federal partners.”
A WGN reporter asked the speakers at the press conference to respond to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirming to the outlet that Abdallahi is a Mauritanian national.
“What we’re doing today is announcing the charges,” Foxx, the county attorney said. “Next week, when we do the full on proffer regarding—we can confirm the information that you have. Again, this person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
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