At a Lincoln Square martial arts studio, owned by a local Muslim personality, Chicago law enforcement officials are conducting an investigation into damage that appears to be caused by gunfire. The establishment in question, Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu, located at 4900 North Lincoln Avenue, reported window damage this past Sunday.
The Chicago Police Department arrived on the scene to inspect the damage, which presented itself in the form of several apparent bullet holes. However, the department has yet to confirm the cause of the damage. Surveillance footage reviewed by the officers revealed that damage occurred when a vehicle was passing the studio around 9 pm on Saturday night, as per the Chicago Sun-Times. Yet, it remained unclear what precisely struck the windows.
The incident has raised concerns among members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who are advocating for the investigation to treat the vandalism as a possible hate crime. A representative from CAIR indicated that the studio serves as a community hub and frequently hosts congregational prayers, highlighting the importance of the establishment to local Muslims. Moreover, Eddie Redzovic, the owner of Redzovic Jiu-Jitsu, is a recognized figure within the Muslim American community, known for hosting the YouTube program 'the Deen Show', which extends his reach to hundreds of thousands of viewers as he discusses his faith and martial arts.
This is not an isolated incident involving Muslim-owned properties in the area, reflecting a concerning pattern. The CAIR spokesperson mentioned a similarity with a previous act of vandalism at the Muslim Community Center in Irving Park, where similar damage was observed last week. Furthermore, surveillance video footage of the martial arts studio incident captured a vehicle that matches the description of the one suspected in the community center case, according to information provided by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Expressing his distress over the events, Redzovic told Audacy, “It’s heartbreaking," and called for unity, urging people to "embrace love over hate." He also expressed confidence in local authorities to bring those responsible to justice and emphasized openness to dialogue and community building as an antidote to such acts of potential hatred.
