CNN
—
A man faces felony terrorism and hate crime charges after authorities say he shot a Jewish man who was walking to a synagogue and then fired at responding officers during a weekend shootout in Chicago.
Sidi Mohamed Abdullahi, 22, has been charged with a terrorist offense and a hate crime, Chicago Police Director Larry Snelling said at a news conference on Thursday.
It is unclear whether Abdullah has a lawyer.
Police say Abdullah is accused of firing several shots at a 39-year-old man Saturday morning on the city's north side before shooting “at responding officers and paramedics multiple times from various locations.” Chicago police said in a statement on Monday that officers returned fire and wounded the gunman. No members of the police or fire departments were injured, but Abdullah remains in the hospital.
Investigators were unable to interview the suspect because of his injuries, Snelling said. Without going into details, the supervisor said that investigators looked into digital evidence to prove the case, including evidence from his phone indicating that he was targeting followers of the Jewish religion.
Evidence suggests Abdullah was working alone, Snelling said, adding that officials did not want residents to live in fear “that there is a network of people who are involved in this activity.”
Abdullah also faces six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated shooting, and one count of aggravated battery with discharge of a firearm, the release said. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 7.
Snelling said it was important for authorities to fully investigate the incident to determine whether new charges were appropriate, and stressed that they did not obtain the new charges because of public pressure or media attention.
“There must be sufficient evidence to support hate crime and terrorism charges, and it was important that we took our time to conduct a thorough investigation and confirm that this was indeed a crime of this nature,” Snelling said. “We would never go out in public and make statements, allegations, accusations or try to make accusations without any evidence of what we are trying to charge someone with.”
City Mayor Brandon Johnson said there is no place in Chicago for hatred, describing hatred toward the Jewish community as “hideous” and “evil.”
“This was 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 spirit of Chicago. Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe, and no one in our city should be attacked based on their beliefs, religion, or identity.
Johnson echoed Snelling's comments about residents feeling safe. “The Jewish community can rest assured that we are using every aspect of government to ensure their safety,” the mayor said.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx acknowledged that terrorism charges are rare, and that the charges against Abdullah underscore the seriousness of the crime.
“This charge sends a clear message that any actions that seek to destabilize our communities through fear and hate will face the utmost accountability under the law,” Fox said. “The efforts to engage in this crime were not spur-of-the-moment, and were not merely a matter of concern at the time, but of terror.”
In a statement released Thursday, the Midwest arm of the Anti-Defamation League said the “charges appropriately reflect” the nature of the shooting.
“We must all turn our attention to supporting the victim and the Jewish community of West Rogers Park as they recover from this heinous act,” the statement read.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement on Thursday that Abdullah is a Mauritanian national who was encountered by US Border Patrol in San Ysidro, California, on March 31, 2023.
ICE “committed an immigration detainer to the Cook County Jail” on Tuesday, following Abdullah's arrest, agency spokeswoman Erin Poltje said in the statement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not provide further information about Abdullah's immigration status.
The shooting victim was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon, according to Debra Silverstein, an alderman for Chicago's 50th Ward, where the shooting occurred.
“Fortunately, this victim did not sustain life-threatening injuries. We know this is something he will have to deal with for the rest of his days,” Snelling said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
