Cape Coral police Chief Anthony Sizemore stated a weekend incident that noticed vandalism dedicated at a neighborhood Jewish center was once a “despicable act” that he is taking for my part, but expressed that such an motion was once no wonder right here.
“This was a despicable act in which an individual … committed vandalism, and attempted burglary, and struck fear in the hearts of not only the people that were present at the Chabad center, but the Jewish community of Southwest Florida, and the entire community that this, this is one of the unfortunate side effects that you see, when I tell people they ask about crime rate, they ask about certain things,” Sizemore stated at a press briefing at the vandalism Tuesday morning.
The motion the chief was once talking about concerned a person throwing bricks at the glass door of the Chabad Jewish Center development on Cape Coral Parkway, and breaking the window of a automotive parked within the automobile parking space on Saturday afternoon.
“If I’m being honest, (it) becomes personal when you live here, as we all do,” he stated, including that he has recognized the Chabad chief, Rabbi Yossi, for just about a decade.
“It’s a hate crime. Until we can determine different you go in at the highest level. If we’re not naïve to the national trends, as I spoke about before the growth in the size of Cape Coral, and we have to treat it as such,” he stated. “I’m saddened and I’m shocked and I’m outraged that it happened in Cape Coral. But surprised, I’m not, because of those statistics that I gave you. We are large city in a very large state. And to think that we’re immune to things that happen on a national scale … that’s just naïve to think that we have a lot of the same societal problems that you see on the national news they happen here. So pretty much anything you could insert into the narrative that’s happening nationally does occur here. The key is that we have to be prepared, trained and ready to work hard for the community to do that.”
Sizemore stated that Cape Coral being the 8th biggest town within the 3rd maximum populous state within the nation is certain, but does not make it proof against unhealthy movements.
“And there’s a lot of wonderful things that come with that. But one of the side effects is that we have a lot of the nation’s problems here,” the chief stated. “And hate crimes are on the rise, particularly attacks on Jewish communities and Jewish centers and places of worship are on the rise. And it happened here. And we need to acknowledge that.”
Sizemore stated there has further police visibility at the center all through the week and in addition all through carrier.
“We’re working around the clock, because this is a priority case,” he stated. “I ask that if you have any information to please call 1-800-780-TIPS. That’s Crimestoppers. Or (call) a non-emergency number, 239-574-3223. Rabbi Yossi and his family are valued members of our diverse, vibrant and resilient community. And this disgusting act will not take away from that. Police Department, city staff, elected officials in the community of Cape Coral as a whole stand in solidarity with Chabad. And we stand against any type of hate crime in our community. And I have the full support of the city manager, of the mayor, and of the community. And we will bring justice for this case.”
A witness reported the crime and advised responding officials {that a} white male in his 50s dressed in a white blouse and tan pants was once noticed destructive an indication within the automobile parking space of the center in addition to inflicting the opposite injury.
Information launched by way of the Cape Coral police known the alleged suspect as a male, roughly six toes tall and weighing an estimated 200 kilos. He was once additionally described as balding with some gray hair, and dressed in glasses.
The witness stated that the male was once noticed leaving the automobile parking space in a mild inexperienced, older type Ford Edge with an unknown Florida tag. After leaving the automobile parking space, the automobile went in an unknown route on Cape Coral Parkway.
Anyone with information can name CCPD at (239) 574-3223 or touch them by way of electronic mail at [email protected]
Anonymous pointers will also be submitted by way of calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
Those reporting pointers must use Case Number 23-006123.
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