Chabad Rabbi Says July 4th Shooter Entered His Shul On Pesach

99
Empty chairs sit along the sidewalk after parade-goers fled Highland Park's Fourth of July parade after shots were fired, Monday, July 4, 2022 in Chicago. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

HIGHLAND PARK (VINnews) — A local Chabad Rabbi says that he had previously seen the July Fourth shooter, when the man entered his shul on Pesach.

Join our WhatsApp group

Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


Rabbi Yosef Schanowitz recognized the photo of Robert Crimo released by police, and discovered that he had seen Crimo a few months earlier.

“During the last Pesach holiday, that person entered the Chabad synagogue. We have an armed security guard sitting in front… I approached him and sternly asked him to leave as I noticed he was not a member of our community,” Rabbi Schanowitz reportedly said.

According to a separate report, Rabbi Schanowitz, whose shul is just two blocks from the site of the shooting, helped shelter four teenage boys who were preparing a Chabad Tefillin booth for the parade after shots rang out.

After they were safe and he made sure they called their parents, the Rabbi drove to the Highland Park Hospital to visit the over 30 wounded victims.

“There was chaos… There was an overload of unexpected trauma,” he told The Forward.

“I told them I was clergy and I wished them all the best,” he said, adding “most of the people I saw were not of the Jewish faith, there were a few who were.”

He continued, “You have to do what you have to do. I thought I should at least make sure that there’s clergy on the premises. It just drives home that we’re living in an imperfect world, and we have work to do.”


Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


Connect with VINnews

Join our WhatsApp group


99 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Kollelfaker
Kollelfaker
1 year ago

More frum yidden need to get full carry and training to protect members in Shul
I know a number of gun carry people in Brooklyn Long Island and yes Lakewood that carry on Shabbos and yom tov

Logic Rules
Logic Rules
1 year ago

The dynamics of our Democracy has changed and the 2nd amendment needs to be amended, maybe raise the age limit to 30yrs.

elyeh
Noble Member
elyeh
1 year ago

Report from Israeli consulate that 2 of those killed for sure Jews, and likely that 2 more of the killed are also Jews.

B”DE !

lastword
Noble Member
lastword
1 year ago

“I approached him and sternly asked him to leave as I noticed he was not a member of our community…”

This shouldn’t be taken out of context. Chabad, of course, and any other reasonable congregation or group involved with others from the broader community (such as of other faiths) would only be suspect of someone who entered their facility if and when they seemed to have no humility when entering or who didn’t approach with some deference or in an inquisitive way of some sort.

Ruby
Ruby
1 year ago

The rasha comes to the. Seder

Huh?
Huh?
1 year ago

We have an armed security guard sitting in front… I approached him and sternly asked him to leave as I noticed he was not a member of our community,” Rabbi Schanowitz reportedly said.”

What was the guard doing? Playing games on his phone?

Ben
Ben
1 year ago

That too should be subjected to federal investigation.

a Concerned Jew
a Concerned Jew
1 year ago

I wish the Rabbi would have told the police about the dude coming to the shul months ago

A REAL YID
A REAL YID
1 year ago

Killer was another right wing maga nut, with a gun. Maybe he was a member of a “well regulated militia”…

Lost opportunity?
Lost opportunity?
1 year ago

Maybe he went to Habad to learn about the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Neyach?

Kiddush Lubavitch
Kiddush Lubavitch
1 year ago

I approached him and sternly asked him to leave as I noticed he was not a member of our community,”

Wow, the love of humanity of Habad, as their late Rebbeh taught.