Man Charged With Hate Crimes For Vandalizing Two Synagogues, Two Jewish Schools In West Rogers Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Niles man is facing hate crime charges in connection with several acts of vandalism against synagogues and Jewish businesses in West Rogers Park over the weekend.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said 39-year-old Shahid Hussain has been charged with four counts of felony hate crime, two felony counts of criminal defacement, and two felony counts of criminal damage to property. The charges stem from four of seven acts of anti-Semitic vandalism over the weekend.
Brown said, around 4:40 p.m. Sunday, a yellow swastika was discovered spray-painted on the wall of a synagogue in the 2900 block of West Devon Avenue. Around the same time, a yellow swastika also was discovered at Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov High School in the 3000 block of West Devon Avenue.
Around 6:15 p.m., officers responding to a 911 call about a man shouting anti-Semitic slurs and threats in the 6300 block of North Sacramento Avenue located a man who matched the description of the person responsible for the two earlier acts of vandalism. Police detained him, and after further investigation, also linked him to an incident of property damage at a synagogue on the 2800 block of West North Shore Avenue and property damage at a Jewish school in the 3600 block of West Devon Avenue.
"These acts of hate gripped the West Rogers Park community, and shocked the city of Chicago," Brown said.
Even Hussain's physical appearance was concerning to prosecutors, who said he wore a mustache similar to Adolf Hitler, and a red cape with a yellow swastika on it, as his made his way through West Rogers Park over the weekend.
A one point, a victim said Hussain was screaming threats to "get the Jews and break all the windows of every synagogue" while making a saluting motion "similar to a Nazi salute."
At a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon, Hussain was ordered held on $250,000 bail.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said at the time of the incidents, Hussain was on parole for a 2017 forgery case for which he served two years in prison.
He also has a stalking and burglary case on his record.
His attorney said he "appears to suffer from some mental health problems."
Foxx said, given the fact that Hussain committed more crimes while out on parole, the justice system needs to do more not just to punish criminals, but to rehabilitate them so they don't become habitual criminals.
"We have to have a criminal justice system that recognizes we must be responsive and hold people accountable; but also, for those who have come into our system, that they have the resources, because we don't want people to reoffend. That is one of the biggest indictments on our system, is the fact that we have people coming in and out of the system, because they're not going to be there forever," Foxx said.
The hate crimes Hussain is charged with were part of a string of seven cases of anti-Semitic vandalism over the weekend, and Brown said police are reviewing video evidence as they investigate whether Hussain was responsible for any other incidents.
Police have said, around 7 a.m. Sunday, officers were called to a synagogue at 3635 West Devon Avenue for a man kicking the side of the building, trying to break a window. According to the Concerned Citizens League, there were two other attacks reported on Saturday. Windows were broken at two Jewish businesses, at 2938 West Devon Ave. and Tel Aviv Bakery at 2944 West Devon Ave.
"Hate has struck our community very hard this week. Synagogues, schools, Jewish-owned businesses were victims of anti-Semitic graffiti and cowardly vandalism," said Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) "The police acted quickly and arrested the offender, but now more incidences are happening."
Brown said police are investigating the rabbi of Congregation Bnei Ruven was threatened outside the synagogue Tuesday morning.
Rabbi Baruch Hertz said he was threatened by a group of men who went on to break a car window in the parking lot.
"The issue has to be addressed, because we can't allow even emotional hate. Any form of hate is hate, which can lead to the worst things, as we have experienced; Jewish people, as well as everyone. Anybody who's experienced hate throughout history," he said.
Police have Rabbi Hertz was outside the synagogue shortly before 7 a.m., when three people approached in a silver sedan, and one of them got out and threatened the victim. That person then got back in the car, which drove into a parking lot, and the man damaged the window of a parked vehicle. No one is in custody for this morning's incident.
"We cannot tolerate, and we will not tolerate hate," Brown said.
Meanwhile late Tuesday, there was a report of another possible attack on a synagogue in West Rogers Park. A window was shattered at a synagogue on Touhy Avenue between California and Francisco avenues, and it might have been caused by a bullet.
Police said the damage happened a week ago, but was not reported until Tuesday. Investigators late Tuesday were still trying to determine if gunfire caused the damage.
Silverstein said police will be putting heightened attention on all places of worship and religious institutions in response to the recent hate crimes in West Rogers Park.
"This will not stand. Hate has no place in this neighborhood, and bigotry will not be tolerated," she said.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, over 2,000 anti-Semetic attacks were reported in 2020, breaking records as their third highest year since they started keeping track.
The incidents in West Rogers Park come just weeks after a man held four people hostage at a Texas synagogue for 11 hours.
