Man Arrested in Washington DC for Allegedly Committing Hate Crime

CNN
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A man was apprehended and charged in Washington DC on Sunday after allegedly spraying an unidentified substance at two individuals while uttering an anti-Semitic remark, according to the local police department.

Law enforcement officers responded to a location in Northwest DC shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and successfully apprehended the suspect, as stated in a press release by the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. The incident took place in close proximity to the Kesher Israel Congregation synagogue.

The suspect has been identified as 33-year-old Brent Wood, who was last known to reside in Toledo, Ohio. Wood has been charged with simple assault and resisting arrest, according to the police statement.

“The Metropolitan Police Department is treating this incident as a hate crime,” the statement further added.

CNN is currently investigating whether Wood has legal representation at this time.

This arrest occurs during a period of heightened tension due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Incidents of hate crimes and bias targeting Jews, Muslims, and Arabs have been on the rise throughout the United States.

The Anti-Defamation League has reported a total of 2,031 anti-Semitic incidents in the two months following the October 7 attack, including physical assaults, acts of vandalism, and anti-Israel demonstrations featuring anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist, and terror-supportive rhetoric.

Law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, have issued warnings about the increased risk of violence during large public gatherings in the United States this winter. Synagogues have been targeted with threats of hoax bombs and active shooters in an attempt to disrupt events and instill fear among congregants.

On the same day as the arrest in Washington DC, local authorities confirmed that multiple synagogues in the city had received threatening emails. However, these threats were deemed non-credible.

Authorities emphasize that the synagogue threats are unrelated to the assault incident.

“Currently, there are no known credible threats or intelligence indicating any intent by groups to attack or disrupt religious or social institutions in the District of Columbia,” stated a police spokesperson in response to inquiries about the threats.

Nevertheless, law enforcement will maintain increased visibility around places of worship in the city to ensure the safety of the community.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has also documented a troubling surge in requests for assistance and reports of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias since the start of the conflict.

Following an unprecedented increase in bias incidents during the first month of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the advocacy group received 2,171 requests for help and reports of bias across the nation. These incidents included hate crimes, hate speech, and workplace discrimination.

This report was contributed to by CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz and Chelsea Bailey.