"Arrest Made in Connection to Shootings of Two Jewish Men in Pico-Robertson"

In a developing story out of Los Angeles, police have arrested a man linked to the shootings of two Jewish men in the city’s Pico-Robertson neighborhood. The suspect’s name has not been released, but authorities believe that the same gunman carried out both attacks. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incidents as hate crimes.

The first shooting took place on Wednesday morning when a man in his 40s was shot on the 1400 block of Shenandoah Street. The second incident happened on Thursday morning on the 1600 block of S. Bedford Street when a man in his 70s was shot. Both victims had just left a synagogue, and the shootings happened less than a mile apart.

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement on Thursday, saying that “for the second time in as many days, a member of the Jewish community was assaulted with a deadly weapon leaving a house of worship in the Pico-Robertson area.” The LAPD is investigating the incidents and is working with the ADL.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement saying that her office was monitoring the situation and that both the LAPD and the FBI are investigating the incidents as hate crimes. “Anti-Semitism and hate crimes have no place in our city or our country,” she said. “Those who engage in either will be caught and held fully accountable.”

Following the shootings, the LAPD announced that it would increase patrols around synagogues, community centers, and schools in the area. Local Jewish leaders are working closely with the police but are urging the community to remain positive. Rabbi Anderson Cooper stated that “whatever the motivation and the circumstance, there’s reason to be concerned. But the answer cannot be, therefore avoid your local synagogue or your local temple.”

The suspect’s motive for the shootings is not yet clear, and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incidents is urged to contact the LAPD.