WASHINGTON — A man has been ordered to stay away from the Kesher Israel Synagogue in D.C. after being arrested for a possible hate crime attack on Sunday.
Police say Brent Wood, of Ohio, is accused of standing outside the synagogue in Northwest and spraying victims with an unknown substances while shouting "Gas the Jews." He is charged with simple assault/hate crime and resisting arrest for his alleged involvement.
Just before 9:30 a.m., an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department received a call to be on the lookout for a man in a green jumpsuit and a U-Haul truck.
According to an affidavit, a witness told police that they were in class in the building when they received a bomb threat via email and evacuated. Security camera footage shows Wood drive the U-Haul van to the synagogue and park it directly in front of the entrance. He at first got out and sat on the hood of the U-Haul before trying to open the front doors of the synagogue, but they were locked. The witness told police that as people were leaving the place of worship, Wood began to spray them with an unknown substance and shot, "Gas the Jews."
One victim said she was out for a run passing the synagogue when she was sprayed. She continued running north. Another victim said he was walking out of the synagogue when he was approached and spayed. Police said this victim was wearing a yarmulke at the time of the attack. A yarmulke is a brimless cap traditionally worn by Jewish men to cover their heads.
The last victim said she was walking her dog when she was sprayed and screamed at.
When officers arrived on scene, they found Wood holding his cell phone in one hand and a cannister in the other. He was yelling "Gas the Jews," and "It's just fart spray."
Additional units were requested to respond.
Officers then took Wood into custody where he was placed under arrest and charged.
Video evidence was also obtained by police identifying Wood as a suspect.
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