A man who was facing felony terrorism and hate crime charges after a violent incident in Chicago has died by apparent suicide while in custody at the Cook County Jail. The individual, identified as Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, was found unresponsive during a routine security check at the jail and despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, there is currently no evidence of foul play in Abdallahi’s death, and there were no prior indications of a risk of suicide. Abdallahi had been housed in the jail’s medical facility due to medical and mental health evaluations following his transfer from a hospital in Evanston, Illinois.
The charges against Abdallahi stemmed from an incident on October 26, where he allegedly shot a Jewish man and fired at responding officers in Chicago. The victim survived the attack, and no law enforcement or emergency personnel were injured during the shootout. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling revealed that evidence from Abdallahi’s phone indicated a potential targeting of individuals of the Jewish faith.
In addition to terrorism and hate crime charges, Abdallahi was also facing multiple counts of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated battery involving a firearm. He was scheduled for arraignment on December 6.
Abdallahi, a Mauritanian national, had come into contact with US Border Patrol in California earlier in the year, and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had issued an immigration detainer following his arrest. The Cook County medical examiner is currently conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of Abdallahi’s death.
The circumstances surrounding Abdallahi’s suicide while in custody have raised questions about mental health care and monitoring within the correctional system. Authorities continue to investigate the incident, and further details may emerge as the case unfolds.
