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Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi is charged with a hate crime after allegedly shooting a Jewish man in Chicago
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Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi is charged with a hate crime after allegedly shooting a Jewish man in Chicago

The illegal immigrant who allegedly opened fire on a Jewish man going to the synagogue in Chicago last weekend was hit Thursday with new hate crime and terrorism charges, according to authorities.

Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, was slapped with the additional charges after he allegedly shot and wounded a 39-year-old Jewish man early Saturday in the city’s West Ridge neighborhood — and then engaged in a shootout with the authorities which led to his arrest.

“This shooting is deeply personal for members of our Jewish community, we know that,” Windy City Police Commissioner Larry Snelling said during a locally broadcast press conference. “But this shoot should be personal to everyone in town.”


The suspect allegedly targeted a Jewish man because of his faith.
The suspect allegedly targeted a Jewish man because of his faith.

Just before he exchanged gunfire with police, the alleged gunman reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar.” He was seriously injured in the exchange of fire, in which the medics were also caught in the crossfire. Abdallahi remained hospitalized on Thursday.

The victim, fortunately, did not suffer life-threatening injuries, and no first responders were injured.

Abdallahi was initially charged with attempted murder, attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm.

The lack of hate crime charges early in the case angered members of the Jewish community. But Snelling said investigators need time to confirm the felony charge as a hate crime and a terrorism charge.

“There has to be enough evidence to support hate crimes and terrorism charges and it was important that we took the time to investigate thoroughly and confirm that this was indeed a crime of this nature,” he said. “We did not secure these charges because of public pressure or media attention.”

Detectives checked the suspect’s phone, which showed he planned to target members of the Jewish community leading up to the shooting, Snelling added.


The alleged assailant engaged in a shootout with responding police and was injured.
The alleged assailant engaged in a shootout with responding police and was injured. X@anjewla90

A terrorism charge is rarely filed, noted Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

“We emphasize the seriousness of targeting certain communities with violence intended to intimidate or terrorize,” she said. “This tax sends a clear message.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson, who came under fire earlier in the week for not acknowledging that the victim was Jewish in an initial statement, called the hate directed at the Jewish community “hideous.”

“There is absolutely no place in Chicago for anti-Semitism,” Johnson said during the news conference. “There is no place in our city for hatred of the Jewish community.”

Abdallahi, who is from the West African country of Mauritania, entered San Diego in March 2023 and was screened by border agents before being released into the country, officials previously told The Post.

When the migrant was apprehended at the border last year, authorities found no criminal or terrorist record linked to him, sources said.

Abdallahi was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, but that was delayed because he remains in the hospital, Foxx said.