A man who opened fire outside a synagogue in upstate New York with dozens of children inside was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 10 years in prison, according to The Associated Press.
Mufid Alkhader, 29, was arrested in December 2023 after discharging two shotgun rounds into the air and shouting “Free Palestine!” outside Temple Israel of Albany.
At the time, 61 children were attending preschool in the building, along with adult staff members who were forced to shelter in place. No injuries were reported, but the incident caused widespread fear.
The shooting occurred just hours before the first night of Hanukkah and two months after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack against Israel. Federal prosecutors said Alkhader’s shotgun jammed after the second round. Following his arrest, he reportedly complained about events in the Middle East.
In February, Alkhader pleaded guilty under a deal with prosecutors to obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, brandishing a firearm during the commission of that offense, and conspiring to unlawfully purchase a firearm.
Appearing in court in an orange prison uniform, Alkhader said he regretted his actions. “I know I was not in my right mind,” he told the court, asking for forgiveness.
Defense attorneys sought a reduced sentence, citing severe mental illness. However, Judge Anne Nardacci accepted the prosecution’s request for a decade-long sentence, noting the trauma inflicted on the children and staff.
Another individual was sentenced last year to 14 months in prison for making a “straw purchase” of the shotgun used in the attack.