Authorities announced on Thursday that terrorism and hate crime charges have been filed against Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, in connection with the shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood over the weekend. Abdallahi was already facing six counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated battery.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning when Abdallahi allegedly shot a 39-year-old man on West Farwell Avenue. Following the shooting, he reportedly opened fire on police and paramedics, hitting an ambulance but injuring no first responders. In response, police returned fire, critically wounding Abdallahi, who was subsequently hospitalized.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling stated that further investigation revealed Abdallahi targeted the victim due to his Jewish faith. He emphasized the department’s commitment to addressing violence rooted in hate, noting that the shooting impacts not just the Jewish community but everyone in the city. Although earlier reports indicated insufficient evidence for hate crime charges, the collection of evidence, including material from Abdallahi’s phone, confirmed the targeting motive.
Snelling clarified that the charges were based on concrete evidence rather than public or media pressure, highlighting the importance of thorough investigations before filing serious charges​
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