City leaders gather one year after Albany temple shooting

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- It has been one year since a 28-year-old man opened fire outside Temple Israel in Albany. City leaders gathered for a service Saturday inside the synagogue to remember this day and stand against hate.

One year ago Saturday, police received a call that a man was walking around with a gun near the temple, hours before the first night of Hanukkah.

"Looking for a light skinned male. Black coat, black sweatpants. Caller said he has a shotgun in his hoodie. A report of one shot heard," said the 911 operator on Dec. 7, 2023.

One shot escalated to two shots. Police arrested the 28-year-old suspected Mufid Fawaz Alkhader that day for allegedly firing two shots outside the temple. According to court documents, Alkhader had a friend buy him a shotgun, which he used this day.

However, a man intercepted the gunman before he was able to shoot more, and held him until police arrived. That man, Anthony Morigerato, an Albany native, said he was on the clock dropping off a client at St. Peter's Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Hackett Boulevard, when he noticed the gunman.

"I see the guy coming over the grass with the gun. I approached him, I got the gun from him," said Morigerato. "He tried to grab that shotgun and I just kept it away from him, kept it away from him, and he goes well, it doesn't matter because I have another gun."

Police confirmed later that he did not have another gun. Morigerato said police came shortly after he found the suspect, who then fell to his knees when police arrived. The whole time, Morigerato said he didn't think twice when he saw the gunman.

“It wasn't a thought, there was no clear defined thought, 'Okay, I’m gonna get the gun from him,' it was just you got to get the gun, where are you going with that," said Morigerato. "It [the gun] was something like you see in a movie, it was an automatic shotgun. I'd never seen one like it."

Morigerato became a hero to many that day. Now, a year later, Temple Israel has increased their security measures, including adding an armed guard inside the building. Some city officials gathered for a service inside the temple Saturday morning to stand against this kind of hate.

“When something tragic like that we want to stand with them, we want to show all our communities that we love them and that we’re going to stand with them through anything," said Corey Ellis, president of the Albany Common Council.

“As we say with children, they can't study if they don’t feel safe. It's the same with our religious community," said Pat Fahy, senator elect and assemblywoman.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan spoke at the service on Saturday, saying a prayer.

“To really set the standard in our community that there is no place for hate, there is no place for antisemitism, racism, all of these things harm our community and we want to do things that help to bring our community together," said Sheehan.

Morigerato believes it wasn't a coincidence that he was there that day. He said he had to run to Amsterdam for work, which is why he saw the gunman when he did. Otherwise, he still would've been inside St. Peters.

"I was there for a reason, it was like divine intervention at that point," said Morigerato. "Because normally, I would've went upstairs with the client and dropped the client off, but I was quick."

As for the suspect, the Department of Justice said the federal case is ongoing. The judge approved a number of continuances at the parties' request. The deadline for to indict is January. Stick with News 10 for updates.