Two people shot at Los Angeles synagogue

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Los Angeles police Thursday played down speculation the shooting of two men in the underground parking lot of a synagogue might have been a hate crime.

Maor Ben-Nissan and Allen Lasry were both shot in the leg around 6:20 a.m. PDT by a gunman who fled immediately from the Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic synagogue in North Hollywood. Both victims were reported in good condition and Ben-Nissan, 37, was undergoing surgery Thursday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Police initially said the shooting might have been a hate crime but backed away from that speculation. Instead, investigators said they were considering all possibilities, including whether one of the victims had been specifically targeted by the attacker, the Times said.

Law enforcement sources told the newspaper police were looking into whether the shooting was related to a business or personal conflict but do not believe the motive was robbery.

LAPD Deputy Chief Michel Moore said the gunman approached the victims "without any words" and shot them.

A 17-year-old who was picked up for questioning has been released.

Police alerted other Los Angeles synagogues about the shooting as a precaution and increased patrols near Jewish religious facilities in the city. The congregation of Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic is made up mostly of Moroccan and other North African Jews, the Times said.