The man accused of shooting a Jewish man who was walking to synagogue in West Rogers Park last weekend now faces additional charges of terrorism and hate crime, officials announced Thursday.
Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, was arrested Saturday morning following a shoot-out with Chicago police officers. He allegedly opened fire on responding officers and paramedics, and was later shot by police. He remained hospitalized as of Thursday, officials said.
Abdallahi was charged Monday with several felonies in connection with the shooting, including attempted murder, but hate crime charges were not immediately filed, because detectives were unable to interview Abdallahi.
“This shooting is personal to members of our Jewish community, we know that, but this shooting should be personal to everyone across the city,” Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling said during a Thursday news conference to announce the new charges.
“Since the shooting occurred, our investigative response team has worked their fingers to the bone to determine a motive,” Snelling added. “There must be sufficient evidence to support hate crime and terrorism charges. And it was important that we took our time to thoroughly investigate and confirm that this was indeed a crime of that nature.”
Snelling said Chicago Police Department detectives uncovered evidence on Abdallahi’s cellphone that “indicated he planned the shooting and specifically targeted people of Jewish faith.”
“This evidence allowed us to secure the terrorism and hate crime charges,” Snelling said.
Ald. Debra Silverstein, 50th, thanked her ward’s constituents for their patience in recent days as police and prosecutors worked to bring the new charges.
“I know it’s been a very, very difficult time for us,” Silverstein said. “We are a strong, united, resilient community and we will remain that way.”
Around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, a 39-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was in the 2600 block of West Farwell Avenue when Abdallahi allegedly approached from behind and shot him in the shoulder, police have said. Neighbors came to the aid of the wounded man while the shooter remained in the area.
Soon after, once police were on the scene, the shooter emerged from an alley and opened fire on officers, CPD’s deputy chief of detectives, Kevin Bruno, previously told reporters. For the next two and a half minutes, Bruno said, the man popped out of various locations, exchanging shots with officers. No officers were injured, but a Chicago Fire Department ambulance was struck by the gunfire.
CPD officers returned fire, critically wounding Abdallahi, police said. He remained at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in critical condition as of Thursday.
The 39-year-old man was treated and later released from the hospital.
Monday, Abdallahi was charged with six counts of attempted murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of aggravated battery.
Records show Abdallahi was born in Mauritania.
Police did not directly address some media reports that the man charged shouted an Arabic phrase while firing at officers.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said Thursday that prosecutors would give a fuller picture of the allegations against Abdallahi during his next scheduled court date, on Nov. 7.
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