‘We have to find out the motive for the crime,’ Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling said
A 22-year-old man was charged with over a dozen felonies Monday after shooting a Jewish man and firing at first responders in Chicago over the weekend, according to the Chicago Police Department. The suspect, Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” during the firefight but was not charged with a hate crime.
“The first thing is we have to find out who’s committing the crime. Secondly, we have to find out the motive for the crime,” Chicago police superintendent Larry Snelling said during a press conference Monday afternoon. “We don’t just go in and assume that everything is a hate crime, but what we don’t do is rule out the possibility that it could be.”
Abdallahi approached a 39-year-old man from behind Saturday morning and, without saying anything, fired several rounds, striking him in the shoulder, according to police.
The victim was an Orthodox Jew on his way to a nearby synagogue, Jewish United Fund of Chicago president Lonnie Nasatir told the Jewish News Syndicate. Nasatir said the neighborhood where the victim was shot has one of the city’s largest Orthodox Jewish populations.
Abdallahi shot at officers and paramedics when they responded to the scene less than 30 minutes later. Security footage shows the suspect exiting an alley and firing a single round. He reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” and then continued to fire. Police also told the Jewish United Front that Abdallahi shouted “Allahu Akbar,” a local NBC affiliate reported.
Abdallahi was struck several times in the ensuing shootout and was taken to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition. No first responders were injured, though an ambulance was hit.
Abdallahi was charged with six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer or firefighter, and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm.
Authorities have said the investigation is ongoing.
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