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Dec. 13 (UPI) -- A 44-year-old man has been charged with violently attacking a Jewish couple who were walking to a Beverly Hills synagogue on the weekend, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said, as law enforcement the nation over contends with a surge in anti-Semitic violence. The suspect, Jarris Jay Silagi, is accused of attacking a 75-year-old man and his wife in Beverly Hills at about 9 p.m. Saturday as they were walking to a synagogue to celebrate Shabbat.
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Police accused Silagi of attacking the man with a belt, causing his victim to sustain a laceration to his head.
"During the commission of the crime, the suspect made anti-Semitic statements to the victim," the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a statement, adding that the suspect and his victim had no prior relationship.
Authorities said he also attempted to rob the man's wife.
Silagi was taken into police custody after fleeing the scene. Authorities said police officers detained Silagi after an individual matching the suspect's description was seen fleeing a senior forensic specialist.
Police said he was being held on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, attempted robbery, elder abuse and committing a hate crime.
On Tuesday, Gascon said Silagi has been charged with two counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and one count each of attempted second-degree robbery, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon.
If convicted, Silagi faces life imprisonment.
Gascon said the prosecution is recommending that Silagi being held on a $1.3 million bail.
"Such acts of anti-Semitism have no place in our community, and we continue to be committed to ensuring justice prevails and holding the defendant accountable," Gascon said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the victims and all those who continue to be targeted for their faith. My office's Hate Crimes Unit will work diligently to bring justice to the victims."
U.S. law enforcement authorities have said there has been an increase in reports of potential hate crimes and other related criminal violations since the war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.
The Jewish Anti-defamation League said that it has tallied a 388% increase in anti-Semitic incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault in the last two months compared to the same period last year. The Council of American-Islamic Relations also said its offices have received 2,171 requests for help and reports of bias in the last eight weeks, representing a 172% increase over a similar two-month period from the year prior.
FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee over the weekend that his office has seen an increase in hate crimes investigations over the years, particularly targeting the Jewish community, but that there has been an surge since the Israel-Hamas war began.
"That's a troubling trend we were focused on before October 7 that's only gotten worse in the months since," he said.
