Man Allegedly Tried To Run Over Members Of A Fairfax Synagogue With His Car Wednesday
FAIRFAX DISTRICT (CBSLA) - A man who witnesses say was yelling anti-Semitic threats to dozens of people at a synagogue Wednesday allegedly tried to drive his car into the crowd.
On what was supposed to be an evening of celebration and faith, members of Fairfax area synagogue say a man they had never seen before disrupted their concert Wednesday and began making threats.
"He was in an absolute rage and he was screaming, 'I'm a real Muslim and I'll show you what real terrorism looks like,' and my wife and kids are this event," said security guard David K.
A member of the community and a trained security guard, David was at Wednesday's concert outside at the Shaarei Tefila Synagogue.
"He was shouting that he was going 'F' all the Jews ,and I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to attack," David said.
People who were nearby also saw the man shouting. They said he was walking two dogs and confronting the worshipers.
A man working as a valet across the street said he heard the violent exchange, with the stranger cursing, saying, "I'm going to come back."
About 30 minutes later, witnesses said the would-be attacker got into his car and drove directly at the crowd of people.
"Floored it down an alley, which was blocked by the concert and people jumped out of the way," David K. said.
No one was hurt, but the group called the police and took video of the person they say is responsible before he drove away.
"When stuff like this happens, we come out in force," Remington Franklin, with Shabbat Angels, said.
Franklin heads up a group of trained martial artists and veterans who escort members of the orthodox community as they walk the city streets. He showed up Friday night as way to make people here feel safe.
"People see us, they know [we're] there. They see us walking people home," Franklin said.
It's not the first time Jewish residents have been targeted nearby. A group of diners was attacked as they ate outside in Beverly Grove. The attackers have since been charged with a hate crime.
In another instance, an Orthodox man was chased by a group of protestors as he walked to his synagogue.
Many in the community feel that they are being targeted and hope that the violence will end.
"There's always a threat," David K. said. "Right now, we're under attack. We have someone who threatened real terrorism and has yet to be apprehended."
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that a police report was filed regarding Wednesday's incident, but said the matter is still under investigation and that, so far, no one has been arrested.