West Rogers Park shooting: What we know about Sidi Muhammad Abdellahi, charged with hate crime after Jewish man shot in Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — New details about the suspect emerge in a shooting that injured an Orthodox Jewish man in West Rogers Park.

The 22-year-old suspect, who is not from Chicago, he now faces hate crime charges.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement told ABC7 that Sidi Muhammad Abdellahi is a Mauritanian national who the US Border Patrol first encountered in the country last year. That’s why there are federal agencies now involved in this investigation.

Chicago police announced new terrorism and hate crime charges against Abdellahi on Thursday. They say evidence on his phone indicated he planned to attack people of the Jewish faith.

Now, ICE is involved in the investigation, telling ABC7 it has requested a detainer to remove the suspect, meaning the agency must be notified if he is to be released.

“We know he’s not from Chicago, but establishing addresses, residence, when he got here … all those things are things we’re continuing to work on,” said Supt. CPD. Larry Snelling.

Abdellahi has yet to appear in court as he remains in intensive care for injuries sustained in a shootout with police. That shootout happened just 20 minutes after he allegedly shot a 39-year-old man near North Washtenaw Avenue.

ICE confirmed that Abdellahi was first found by US Border Patrol in March 2023 near San Ysidro, California.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said her team was not ready to comment on the suspect’s immigration status.

“At the next court date, it is our intention, as we had just two days ago, to do a full recitation of the plea, which will include that level of detail. We will make that information available next week,” Foxx said .

While local authorities continue to work with federal agencies on the investigation, Chicago police do not believe there is a greater threat of terrorism at play here.

“The evidence we have at this point is that he was working alone. We don’t want anybody there for fear of a network of people involved in this activity,” Snelling said.

Abdellahi is due back in court next week, pending his condition in hospital.

Additional federal charges could come into play as the investigation continues.