Man held in shootings of 2 Jewish men in L.A. believed to be hate crimes

A man was taken into custody Thursday in connection with the shootings of two Jewish men outside synagogues in Los Angeles this week that investigators believe were hate crimes, police said.

The violence set off fear among the city’s Jewish community as police increased patrols around houses of worship and officials decried the attacks.

The two separate shootings occurred after the men left synagogues in the city’s Pico-Robertson neighborhood, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s Southern California branch. Both men survived.

“This is a relief,” the branch wrote on Twitter after the detention was announced. “Tonight, we can rest easy. Tomorrow, we will continue to fight against antisemitism.”

“We are incredibly grateful for law enforcement’s diligence in apprehending the suspect,” the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles said in a statement, CBS Los Angeles reports.  

The synagogues are less than two blocks apart, the station says.

One victim was hit in his arm by a drive-by shooter and the other was shot at least twice as he was walking up to his car, CBS L.A. added.

The suspect was tracked and taken into custody Thursday in Riverside County, Los Angeles police said in a statement. Detectives seized a rifle and a handgun.

The shootings happened on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Detectives said they were probably carried out by the same man, though it wasn’t immediately clear whether he was the person who was taken into custody on Thursday.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass denounced the violence after news of the arrest broke.

“I want to be very clear: Antisemitism and hate crimes have no place in our city or our country,” Bass said. “Those who engage in either will be caught and held fully accountable.”