'Attempted Murder As Hate Crime': Indictment In Attack On Barber

YONKERS, NY — An attack that outraged a community will be treated as a hate crime at trial, after indictments were handed down by a Westchester Grand Jury.

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Friday that a Yonkers man was arraigned on an indictment by which he is charged with attempted murder as a hate crime and other charges for an Aug. 29 attack on a Jewish barber at his business on Yonkers Ave.

"My office will continue to work with law enforcement partners to seek accountability and justice in cases of hate-based violence and ensure our communities that we will not tolerate acts of hate in any form," Rocah said.

The defendant, Ahmed Al Jabali, who has been remanded since his arrest, was arraigned Friday in New York Supreme Court in Westchester County on an indictment charging him with:

• two counts of second degree attempted murder as a hate crime
• second degree attempted murder
• two counts of first degree attempted assault as a hate crime
• first degree attempted assault
• two counts of second degree assault as a hate crime
• second degree assault
• third degree criminal possession of a weapon

The 34-year-old's next court date is Oct. 23.

Al Jabali was initially charged by a felony complaint, which alleged that he attacked the victim in the face, body, arms and hands with a pair of barber’s scissors while saying "I want to kill you, you [expletive] Jew."

The victim called police and was treated at a local hospital for wounds sustained from the attack.

The Yonkers Police Department arrested Al Jabali shortly after the attack.

The case is being prosecuted by Major Case Bureau Chief Nadine Nagler of the Trials and Investigations Division in conjunction with the Hate Crimes Unit.