Random Robbery or Hate Crime: 60 Year Old Brooklyn Orthodox Rabbi Joseph Raksin Gunned Down & Murdered While Walking to Bais Menachem Synagogue Saturday Morning in Northeast Miami-Dade, FL

Random robbery gone wrong or Hate Crime?

Joseph Raksin, a 60 year old rabbi from Brooklyn, NY who was visiting family, was gunned down and murdered as he was walking to a Northeast Miami-Dade synagogue at about 9 am Saturday for Temple services. The two young, black teen males fled the crime scene and are currently being sought by police. The shooting victim was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center, where he later died from his wounds. Police stated that Raksin was walking eastbound on Northeast 175th Street and Eighth Court when he was confronted by two young men and gunned down after an altercation in what was most likely a random robbery attempt.

A 60-year-old Orthodox rabbi from Brooklyn on his way to a Northeast Miami-Dade synagogue was gunned down Saturday morning during a likely random robbery attempt, according to Miami-Dade police and local Jewish community leaders.

The shooting victim, Joseph Raksin, was walking eastbound on Northeast 175th Street and Eighth Court at about 9 a.m. when he was confronted by two young men. Following an altercation, Raksin was shot by one of the men, police said.

The authorities were quick to call this a random act of violence as Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Elena Hernandez in a statement,“At this time there is no indication of this being a hate crime.” However, that is not what is being said from Yona Lunger, a local Jewish community activist and member of the Shmira Patrol, a neighborhood watch group. According to accounts, Lunger spoke to one witness who told him, that contrary to what Miami-Dade police reported, Raksin had no altercation with the two young men. Raskin was shot immediately after the two approached him on Northeast 175th Street. Also, The shocking crime took place in broad daylight was just a few blocks away from Torah V’Emunah, an Orthodox synagogue where swastikas were spray painted last month. Coincidence?

Raksin was on his way to Bais Menachem, 1005 NE 172nd Ter., when he was shot, said Lunger, who spoke to one witness who told him that — contrary to what Miami-Dade police reported — Raksin had no altercation with the two young men. He said the witness, whom he did not identify, told him that Raksin was shot immediately after the two approached him on Northeast 175th Street.

Another local Jewish community leader, Brian Siegal, director of the American Jewish Committee’s Miami and Broward Regional Office, said he believes Raksin’s shooting may be connected to the recent act of vandalism at the nearby Torah V’Emunah, an Orthodox synagogue, 1000 NE 174th St.

UPDATE I: $50,000 Reward Offered for Capture of of Two Suspects in Murder of Rabbi Joseph Raksin.

Two points to ponder with this story as to whether it was or was not a hate crime. First, other than the VIDEO from NBC News 6 above, no where is it referenced that the two murder suspects were two black teens. Also, just curious, would the police have been so quick to discount this as a hate crime if the murder victim was a religious leader with the name of Abdul or Mohammed? But of course that is the double standard we with in this politically correct world.