Suspect charged after firing photographs outdoors New York synagogue, declaring ‘free Palestine’
A person who fired a shotgun outdoors a New York synagogue and proclaimed “free Palestine” was charged Friday with illegal possession of a firearm in a case below investigation as a hate crime.
Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 28, of Schenectady, New York, fired two photographs into the air outdoors Temple Israel of Albany at about 2 p.m. Thursday, the primary day of Hanukkah. He was arrested on the scene by Albany police.
“We were told by responding officers that he made a comment, ‘free Palestine,’” mentioned Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins at a Thursday evening press convention.
Asked if the incident was being investigated as a hate crime, Chief Hawkins mentioned, “Absolutely.”
“It’s certainly being investigated as a hate crime,” he mentioned, including that shell casings from the shotgun have been discovered on the synagogue steps.
Nobody was injured within the capturing, however the incident heightened considerations about rising antisemitism at residence and overseas within the aftermath of the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas on Israeli civilians, which prompted Israel to declare conflict.
The suspect was discovered with a KelTec KS7 12-gauge shotgun; “as an unlawful user of a controlled substance (marijuana), Alkhader was prohibited under federal law from possessing the shotgun,” mentioned the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
The workplace mentioned the suspect appeared Friday earlier than United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, “who ordered Alkhader detained pending trial after Alkhader waived his right to a detention hearing.”
Temple Israel Synagogue shooter Mufid Fawaz Alkhader’s mugshot.
Children have been contained in the constructing.
Once once more, we see simply how harmful the “Free Palestine” motion actually is. pic.twitter.com/JGmWpPQXqZ
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 8, 2023
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul mentioned the suspect had a “rap sheet” however declined to remark additional on his legal historical past.
She put the New York State Police and New York National Guard on “high alert,” rising patrols for what she described because the “at-risk sites we had planned for the Hanukkah holiday, including at synagogues, yeshivas and community centers.”
“This builds on the significant efforts we have taken to protect religious communities in the wake of the October 7 attacks,” mentioned the governor in a assertion. “Make no mistake: The safety of Jewish New Yorkers is nonnegotiable.”
If convicted, the suspect faces as much as 15 years in jail and a most nice of $250,000.
“In these challenging times, our unwavering spirit shines as a beacon of hope, proving that even in the darkest of moments, our light remains undimmed,” mentioned Temple Israel in a assertion. “We are immensely grateful to our Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and civic leaders, whose swift and decisive actions have reinforced the safety and unity of our community.”
