Man with animus toward Jewish community arrested in L.A. shootings, sources say | CPT PPP Coverage

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The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested a suspect in the shootings of two men outside synagogues in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of L.A. over the last two days.

The man has a history of animus toward the Jewish community, law enforcement sources told The Times.

In a statement late Thursday, the LAPD said that “the facts of the case led to the crime being investigated as a hate crime.”

“For the last two days, the community has been on edge and continues to be on edge, even with the arrest of a suspect,” said Ariella Loewenstein, deputy regional director of the Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles. “Anytime that a community is targeted because of who they are — and in this case who they worship and being Jewish — it’s always terrifying.”

The league’s regional director, Jeffrey I. Abrams, said in a statement Thursday night: “We are aware that the case is being investigated as a hate crime and look forward to learning more about a possibly hate-driven motive.”

In a statement, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles praised “law enforcement’s diligence in apprehending the suspect.”

“We are encouraged to also have learned that the U.S. Attorney will take the case and file federal charges on civil rights violations,” the statement read.

The first shooting occurred around 10 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Shenandoah and Cashio streets, when a man in his 40s was shot in the back while walking to his vehicle, authorities said. The second was around 8:30 a.m. Thursday near Pickford and South Bedford streets — about two blocks away — when a man walking home was shot in the arm. Both victims survived the attacks.

The men described seeing a male shooting suspect, said Police Lt. Park, a spokesperson for the LAPD who declined to give his first name.

Authorities tracked the suspect to an area in Riverside County, and investigators began working with federal and regional partners to find him, according to the LAPD. He was taken into custody around 5:45 p.m. Thursday.

Detectives recovered several items of evidence, including a rifle and a handgun.

Councilmember Katy Young Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Pico-Robertson, said earlier Thursday that she was concerned by the shootings, which coincide with “a rise in antisemitic attacks in recent months.”

Police said that, in an abundance of caution, there would be increased police presence and patrols around Jewish places of worship and surrounding neighborhoods through the weekend.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón said on Twitter on Thursday night that his office was “working with the LAPD to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

“We stand in solidarity with members of the Jewish community and against these acts of violence,” he said.

In a statement late Thursday, Mayor Karen Bass thanked the LAPD for its investigation and for stepping up patrols.

“At a time of increased anti-Semitism, these acts have understandably set communities on edge,” Bass said. “Just last December, I stood blocks away from where these incidents occurred as we celebrated the first night of Hanukkah together. Now, my pledge to the Pico-Robertson community and to the City of Los Angeles as a whole, is that we will fight this hatred vigorously and work every day to defeat it.”