The incident involved an Orthodox Jewish man who was shot from behind while walking in West Rogers Park, as reported by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin.
During a press conference on Saturday, Kevin Bruno, deputy chief of the Chicago Police Department's detectives bureau, stated that around 9:35 a.m., the 39-year-old victim was approached from behind by an armed individual who fired shots, hitting him in the shoulder.
The shooter, identified as 22-year-old Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, later engaged in a shootout with police during which he was heard shouting "Allahu Akhbar!" on video of the incident. Abdallahi was shot by police and subsequently arrested, facing 14 charges.
Local Jewish leaders are urging the police and the mayor to classify Abdallahi’s actions as a hate crime, a charge he has not yet received.
A video that circulated on social media, reportedly from a doorbell camera, suggested that the shooter may have shouted “Allahu akbar” during a gun battle with police; however, the police have not yet confirmed this. When first responders arrived, Abdallahi allegedly targeted them with gunfire, hitting an ambulance. Fortunately, no officers or paramedics were injured in the exchange.
Police returned fire, striking Abdallahi multiple times. A weapon was recovered at the scene, and nearby surveillance footage captured the intensity of the gunfire between the suspect and the police.
Abdallahi was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital, initially reported to be in critical condition. As of Monday, his current condition remains unclear.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of rising antisemitism in the U.S., particularly in the year following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In September, the FBI released data showing that hate crimes against Jews in the United States surged by 63% in 2023, with 1,832 incidents reported, compared to 1,122 the previous year, marking the highest number ever recorded.
Anti-Semitic incidents accounted for 15% of all hate crimes in 2023 and constituted 68% of religion-based hate crimes, despite Jews making up only about 2% of the U.S. population. Additionally, earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. reached record levels following October 7 of last year.
From October 7, 2023, to September 24, 2024, the ADL tracked over 10,000 incidents, reflecting a threefold increase compared to the same period the previous year.
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