A California man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for shooting and wounding two Jewish men as they left synagogues in Los Angeles last year. The 30-year-old man pleaded guilty to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
The shootings, which occurred in February 2023, targeted the victims because of their faith, as they were wearing clothing that identified them as Jewish, including black coats and head coverings. Fortunately, both men survived the attacks.
According to an FBI affidavit, the perpetrator admitted to looking online for a 'kosher market' and deciding to shoot someone nearby. The affidavit also revealed that the man had a history of antisemitic and threatening conduct, as evidenced by his emails, text messages, and other reports.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the severity of targeting individuals based on their religious and ethnic background, stating that such actions harken back to dark chapters in human history. The sentence imposed on the perpetrator serves as a strong message that antisemitism and hate will not be tolerated in the community.
In 2022, the perpetrator had sent insulting and threatening messages to former classmates, specifically targeting a Jewish individual with messages like 'Someone is going to kill you, Jew' and 'I want you dead, Jew.' These actions underscore the importance of aggressively confronting and prosecuting criminal acts motivated by antisemitism or any form of hatred.
As the Jewish community prepares to observe the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland reaffirmed the Justice Department's commitment to combating hate crimes. Garland emphasized that no Jewish person in America should live in fear that their identity could make them a target of hate crimes.
