Sam Charles
Chicago Tribune
(TNS)
A man now faces a half dozen counts of attempted murder and several other felonies after he allegedly shot another man Saturday morning before engaging in a minutes-long shootout with Chicago police officers on the North Side.
Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, was charged with six counts of attempted murder, seven counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of aggravated battery in connection with the shooting in the 2600 block of West Farwell in the West Rogers Park neighborhood, according to CPD. Abdallahi is expected to make his first appearance in Cook County court Tuesday.
Around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, a 39-year-old man was in the 2600 block of West Farwell when another man approached from behind and shot him in the shoulder, police previously said. Neighbors came to the aid of the wounded man while the shooter remained in the area.
The crime was not immediately charged as a hate crime, disappointing Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th), who said many in her ward feel unsafe after the shooting. The victim was in traditional Orthodox dress and on his was to synagogue when he was struck by a bullet.
“These charges reflect the seriousness of this crime,” Silverstein said at a police press conference Monday. “However, I am concerned by the lack of hate crime charges in this case. While the motive is still under investigation, the community is, rightfully, troubled given the nature and timing of the attack.”
Silverstein said that she and the victim attend the same synagogue. She spoke with him shortly after his release from the hospital over the weekend.
“He’s doing OK and his spirits are good,” Silverstein said.
At that same conference announcing charges, Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling stressed the situation remains under investigation and further police work needed to be done.
Police did not directly address some media reports that the man charged shouted an Arabic phrase while firing at officers, but again said it remained under investigation. The injured shooter has yet to be interviewed by police as he remained hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, Snelling said.
“Our investigations (are) based on facts that we gather into evidence in order to present charges,” Snelling told reportrs. “Until we have those facts, we will not announce charges. It’s about what we can prove at the time based on the facts.”
Shortly before 10 a.m., after police arrived at the scene, the shooter emerged from an alley and opened fire on officers, CPD’s deputy chief of detectives, Kevin Bruno, told reporters over the weekend. For the next two and a half minutes, Bruno said, the man popped out of various locations, exchanging shots with officers. No officers were injured, but a Chicago Fire Department ambulance was struck by the gunfire.
CPD officers returned fire, striking the man and critically wounding him, police said. The suspect remained at Ascension Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston in critical condition as of Monday.
The 39-year-old man was treated and later released from the hospital.
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