Suspect arrested after 2 Jewish men shot leaving synagogue | GMA
First, we begin with breaking news overnight in arrest in Los Angeles after two Jewish men were shot outside of synagogues in the last two days. The LAPD is stepping up security around Jewish institutions and ABC Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman is in Los Angeles with more. Good morning, Matt. Hey, good morning, Michael. For hours after the shooting outside this synagogue yesterday, police scrambling to connect the dots in these shootings. Finally the LAPD and federal agents tracking down that suspect, the man they say responsible, for both of the shootings. They say he had a quote, history of animus towards the Jewish community.
They're now investigating this as a hate crime. The Jewish community on edge this morning after two men were shot leaving synagogues in Los Angeles. Police now treating the shootings as hate crimes, saying the same man targeted both victims because they were Jewish. The guy just came out of the bushes, shot my friend and ran away. On Wednesday, police say a man in his 40s was shot as he left morning prayer in the city's Pico Robertson neighborhood. Then on Thursday just blocks away a man in his 70s was shot by a suspect inside a vehicle. Just minutes after that victim also left a synagogue.
The motive behind them is not as important as what people are feeling now in the community, which is scared and afraid that they're being targeted because of who they are and their identity as a Jewish American. Both men are expected to survive and overnight police announcing the arrest of one suspect in connection with both shootings. The suspect was previously described as an Asian man with a goatee. Anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise nationwide. The Anti-Defamation League recently reporting a record number of documented cases of harassment, vandalism and violence directed against Jewish people. Last night I spoke with a Jewish leader who said that the community here is rattled by all of these incidents. They are at their highest level of alert right now across dozens of locations in Los Angeles.
Of course, that is being beefed up by patrols by the LAPD. George. Okay, Matt, thanks very much. Hi, everyone. George Stephanopoulos here. Thanks for checking out the ABC News YouTube channel. If you'd like to get more videos, show highlights and watch live event coverage, click on the right over here to subscribe to our channel.
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