Updated June 13 at 3 p.m.
Following his bail hearing Friday afternoon, Joseph Amr Khairy Abdalla was ordered held for an inpatient examination to test his competency.
Also, according to a letter from the school administration posted on Facebook, Abdalla was employed at the Lower School, where the incident took place. He teaches an after-school karate program.
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Joseph Amr Khairy Abdalla, 38, circled the parking lot of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, refusing to stop, driving over traffic cones and resisting arrest Thursday at 2:54 p.m., according to Montgomery County Police (MCPD).
He can be heard on video “making anti-Jewish comments, in addition to other hateful language,” according to Guila Franklin Siegel, chief operating officer at the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington
The Germantown resident is charged with two counts of second-degree assault, failure to obey, disorderly conduct and obstructing and hindering.
His bail hearing is set for Friday at noon. His trial is scheduled for July 29.
Abdalla waived having an attorney at his first appearance in court.
According to Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada, “Based on the investigation there is no evidence at this time that Abdalla had intent to harm anyone associated with the school.”
Off-duty officers assigned to school security saw a vehicle circling the parking lot in the 1900 block of East Jefferson Street without a valid student pick-up pass. After directing the driver away, the officers observed the same vehicle return. The driver refused to stop when asked, according to Montgomery County Police.
Abdalla then drove through traffic cones in the student pick-up line and moved into lanes with oncoming vehicles, according to police.
When he stopped, Abdalla refused to get out of the car, identify himself or explain why he was at the school. He resisted “and became combative” when police officers attempted to remove him the vehicle.
During the struggle, a pocketknife fell off him.
Officers subdued him and took him into custody. During that time, two off-duty officers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
“The actions of these officers show our heightened efforts to protect our community and the courage of officers to take decisive action for the safety of all.” said Chief Yamada.
County Executive Marc Elrich called the incident “deeply disturbing.” He commended the off-duty officers who were working security at the school “who acted quickly to protect students, staff and families.”
In his statement, Elrich pointed to recent attacks against the Jewish community outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. and during a solidarity walk in Boulder, Colorado, noting, “The rise in antisemitic violence across the country is alarming. These threats are real, and people here feel them every day.”
He added, “While MCPD is not classifying this as a hate crime at this time, it does not diminish the community concern.”
Franklin Siegel issued a statement on behalf of the JCRC.
“We are deeply grateful to the on-site security officers and Montgomery County police officers who responded to the incident on Thursday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (JDS). The swift actions of law enforcement personnel prevented potential violence and kept students, parents, and staff safe.”
Franklin Siegel pointed to video footage that showed the suspect “making anti-Jewish comments, in addition to other hateful language. While the investigation is ongoing, the situation is yet another reminder that Jewish families and institutions remain under near-constant threat.”
She added, “It also demonstrates the importance of state and local governments continuing to make security dollars available to nonprofit institutions that are at risk of attacks. It is precisely because of those dollars that JDS was able to hire the on-site security officers who were on the scene. That investment can and does save lives.”
