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Man in custody after shots fired near Albany synagogue: Hochul
By
Phil Corso
Published Dec 7, 2023
Modified Dec 7, 2023
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Courtesy Facebook/Temple Israel of Albany
By
Phil Corso
Published Dec 7, 2023
Modified Dec 7, 2023
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A 28-year-old man was arrested on Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah, after officials alleged he fired a gun on the premises of a synagogue in Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul said no one was injured in the incident.
Hochul said the suspect fired a shotgun in the parking area outside Temple Israel around 2:27 p.m. The suspect, who was reportedly making threatening statements, was a local resident who was seen "walking around outside the synagogue, acting very suspicious," the governor said.
The suspect's name has not yet been released.
"I've spoken to the Rabbi [Wendy Love Anderson], assuring her that the state will do everything in our power to restore the sense of security her community needs," Hochul posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday afternoon.
The governor said there were at least two dozen children on-site inside an early childhood center at the time of the incident, who were locked down in the shooting's aftermath. They were subsequently released to their families, Hochul said.
Hochul said she had put the state police and the state National Guard "on high alert" and increased existing patrols of at-risk sites, including synagogues, yeshivas and community centers.
"Undermining public safety at a synagogue on the first night of Hanukkah is deplorable," Hochul posted on X. "New Yorkers stand united against antisemitism, hate and violence in all forms."
Hochul said the efforts were in addition to added security measures taken after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
"Make no mistake: The safety of Jewish New Yorkers is non-negotiable," Hochul said in a statement.
Hochul said she will attend Shabbat services at the temple on Friday evening.
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement that law enforcement "remains on heightened alert to ensure the safety of New Yorkers."
"With the start of the holiday, the NYPD is implementing pre-planned measures for elevated security around public Menorah displays and at all lighting events," Adams said in a statement. "Everyone in our city has a right to practice their faith in peace, and we will ensure that right is protected.”
In October, the NYPD had said hate crimes against Jews in New York City increased after the Oct. 7 attacks. Later that month, a Manhattan grand jury indicted a man on charges that he vandalized three synagogues and a Jewish volunteer ambulance, or hatzolah, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan over the summer.
This story has been updated with comment from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Tagged
public safety
new york state
Politics
Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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