Khaled Awad, the man who stabbed Rabbi Shlomo Noginski in Boston earlier this month, now faces additional hate crime offenses.
Awad, originally from Egypt, was found as having strong views against Jews, Christians, and American culture, according to prosecutors.
“The witnesses also noticed that the suspect would stereotype various differences in racial groups and behavior, which included whites, Blacks and that he was especially harsh on Jews," the prosecutor noted.
Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins is currently investigating whether or not the incident was a hate crime.
"We believe this was rooted in antisemitism," she said outside the court.
Awad, 21, pled not guilty to several charges, including assaulting an officer. He allegedly kicked an officer in the stomach while being placed in a police car.
The court-appointed attorney for Awad, Stephen Weymouth, requested a competency evaluation, calling it a "crime of opportunity" instead of it being a hate crime.
"There was a van. There was a set of keys. He wanted him to get into the van. I do not see anything to indicate to me that this was based on hate," Weymouth said.
A dangerousness hearing was postponed until July 29, after a diagnostic evaluation at a state hospital.