A New York man who allegedly fired a shotgun into the air outside a synagogue last week and yelled “Free Palestine” to officers was charged with an additional federal count on Monday, prosecutors said, according to NBC News.
Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, is now charged with conspiracy to make a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, for allegedly having a friend buy the Kel-Tec KS7 pump-action shotgun that he fired outside the Conservative Temple Israel, in Albany.
He had previously been charged with one count of possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, because he uses marijuana, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York said.
No one was hurt in the incident that occurred around 2:00 p.m. this past Thursday.
Alkhader allegedly had the friend buy him the gauge shotgun in early November because Alkhader thought he was ineligible to buy one due to some type of order of protection or restraining order, according to a criminal complaint.
The friend lied on a federal form, indicating the gun was for himself, the complaint says. The friend was given the money to buy the gun and an extra $200 to make the purchase, it says.
The incident came amid a spike in antisemitism around the world since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
In New York specifically, examples include a 29-year-old woman who was punched in the face at a subway stop in New York City. When asked by the woman why he did it, the attacker replied that it was because "you are Jewish." He then ran off.
In another incident, antisemitic messages praising Adolf Hitler and calling for the murder of Jews were found written on a New York City subway train.
Last week, a man was indicted on multiple hate crimes in connection with allegedly punching an Israeli tourist in Times Square in October after making antisemitic remarks including, “Hamas should kill more of you."