Albany, NY – A Schenectady man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for firing a shotgun outside Temple Israel in Albany during a Hanukkah celebration, in what officials say was a religiously motivated hate crime.
Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, was convicted of conspiring to illegally purchase a firearm, obstructing religious freedom with a dangerous weapon, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
On December 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber to the synagogue, walked toward the front entrance with a pump-action shotgun, and fired two shots into the air while shouting “Free Palestine.” A third attempt to fire was unsuccessful due to a weapon malfunction. He then tried to remove an Israeli flag from the flagpole in front of the building before fleeing.
Albany police arrested him outside a nearby hospital shortly afterward. The incident forced the cancellation of a planned Hanukkah concert and candle-lighting ceremony at Temple Israel. No one was physically injured, but officials say the act caused significant fear among congregants.
The firearm used in the attack was illegally obtained in early November through a straw purchase scheme involving another man, Andrew Miller, who falsely claimed to be the buyer at a licensed dealer in Albany.
Federal officials described the act as part of a broader wave of antisemitic violence and reiterated their commitment to prosecuting hate crimes.
In announcing the sentence, law enforcement leaders from the FBI, ATF, and the Albany Police emphasized the importance of protecting religious institutions from targeted violence.
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Key Points
- Mufid Alkhader was sentenced to 10 years for firing a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue in a hate-motivated attack
- The shotgun was obtained illegally through a straw purchase
- The incident led to canceled Hanukkah celebrations and heightened fear in the local Jewish community
