Court Sentences Man Who Shot Near Synagogue in New York

• Alkhader received 10 years in prison for shooting near the synagogue.
• No children were harmed, but the incident caused fear.
• Alkhader acknowledged his guilt and regretted his actions.

ALBANY, New York. A man who shot from a firearm near a synagogue in New York received 10 years in federal prison on Wednesday. Mufid Alkhader, 29 years old, was arrested in December 2023 after he fired in the direction of a gathering and yelled "free Palestine!" near the Temple Israel synagogue in Albany. He shot while 61 children, who were attending a school event, were present, causing panic among children and adults who were forced to remain indoors.

“My daughter was at a Jewish lesson with a teacher whose own son was on the other side of the building,” – recounted the judge Rachel Mandel. “She is a wonderful teacher who sheltered my child. She prepared herself and the children to not become victims of violence.”

The shooting occurred on the first night of Hanukkah, two months after Hamas began the war. Federal prosecutors reported that Alkhader, whose firearm was confiscated after another arrest, was charged with the incident on the Middle East following the arrest.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Alkhader in July admitted to himself the guilt for the unlawful use of a firearm during this crime and admitted to the illegal purchase of a firearm.

Alkhader, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, told the court that he deeply regrets his actions and for what he did to people. “I know that it was not in my right mind,” – said Alkhader, pleading for leniency.

Alkhader's attorney requested a lesser sentence, citing serious mental health issues of his client. But Judge Enn Nardaki supported the prosecutors, who asserted that Alkhader must serve 10 years in prison for endangering the lives of children and adults in the synagogue. Prosecutor Richard Bellis noted that Alkhader wanted to endanger people in the building, and he succeeded.

Alkhader was born in the Palestinian refugee community near Baghdad, and his family immigrated to the U.S. as refugees in 2012 when he was 16 years old. He became a naturalized citizen two years later and at the time of the shooting resided in the neighboring Schenectady.

Another man was sentenced last fall to 14 months in prison for illegally purchasing a firearm for Alkhader.

Tags: USA/Crime