Los Angeles Police are looking for a man who attempted to run over a group of Jewish women and girls outside of a synagogue on Wednesday evening.
People outside of Congregation Shaarei Tefilah, where a Sukkot event was being held, reported seeing a man in a black Toyota Corolla who reportedly yelled, “I’m a real Muslim. I’ll show you what real terrorism looks like.”
According to Leibel Mangel, a spokesman for Magen Am, a private armed security service for the Jewish community in L.A., the driver “returned to the area about 20 minutes later and attempted to run over a group of women and children in an alley off the main event. Being that it was away from the main crowd, Magen Am and other security personnel were not able to apprehend the individual before he left.”
“We have been in touch with LAPD Detectives and captains since the incident, reviewing statements and evidence,” said Mangel. “We have also been in touch with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI. LAPD captain said she’s looking at it as a hate crime. They will be sending extra patrols to the area and want the community to know they are there for us. They are taking this case seriously.”
In response to the incident, Magen Am has beefed up security at other holiday events for the next week and “continue to coordinate with law enforcement and other security agencies to make sure we continue to be prepared for any threats against our community.”