Federal prosecutors say six Pittsburgh-area men have been indicted on federal hate-crime and obstruction charges in connection with a late-night assault on a Jewish man in Oakland last September near the University of Pittsburgh campus. The indictment alleges the group zeroed in on the victim after spotting his Star of David necklace, attacked him, and then several defendants later worked to coordinate false testimony to a federal grand jury. Prosecutors announced the charges this week as part of a federal civil-rights investigation.
Indictment and charges
The seven-count indictment names Muhammed Koc, 27, of Pittsburgh; Omar Alshmari, 28, of Monroeville; Abraham Choudhry, 22, of Monroeville; Emirhan Arslan, 24, of McKees Rocks; Ali Alkhaleel, 19, of Pittsburgh; and Adeel Piracha, 22, of Murrysville. They are charged with violations of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, along with obstruction-related offenses.
“As alleged in the Indictment, this incident began with two defendants physically attacking an individual because of the victim’s Jewish identity,” U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti said in announcing the case. The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania in coordination with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Investigators from the FBI and the University of Pittsburgh Police Department led the probe, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
What local reporting says about the assault
Local outlets report the assault took place around 2 a.m. on Sept. 27, 2024, near Semple and Ward streets in Oakland after a group noticed the man’s Star of David necklace and shouted antisemitic slurs. Police say at least three of the men punched and kicked the victim until a bystander stepped in. The victim suffered a bruised lip and was treated for his injuries.
The University of Pittsburgh issued a campus safety alert following the incident, and the FBI joined the investigation, according to reporting by KDKA/CBS Pittsburgh.
Obstruction allegations
Beyond the physical assault, federal prosecutors say the case took a turn into alleged cover-up territory. The indictment states that several defendants discussed the incident in messages and group chats and that some later gave false or misleading testimony to a federal grand jury.
According to prosecutors, one defendant even identified himself and another person in a University of Pittsburgh crime alert about the case. The indictment alleges that multiple defendants agreed to align their stories before talking with investigators. Those details form the basis of the obstruction and conspiracy counts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Legal stakes and next steps
Federal hate-crime prosecutions in cases like this are brought under Cornell Law School, which includes penalties of up to 10 years in prison for offenses causing bodily injury. Witness-tampering and obstruction charges are grounded in statutes such as Cornell Law School, with maximum sentences that vary based on the conduct alleged.
As with any federal case, an indictment is only an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Prosecutors have identified Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl J. Spindler and a trial attorney from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division as the team handling the matter. The six defendants are expected to appear for initial proceedings in federal court in the coming days.
Community reaction and context
On campus and in nearby neighborhoods, Jewish community leaders and university representatives say the indictment underscores what they see as the seriousness of last fall’s attack and the need for ongoing support and safety measures for students. Local and campus reporting noted that the incident heightened worries about bias-related episodes in and around Oakland during the past year, even as many welcomed the federal investigation as a sign the case was moving forward.
Community leaders quoted in coverage have urged anyone with information about the assault to contact local police or the FBI, according to the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.
With the federal indictment now filed, the case shifts firmly into the courtroom. Prosecutors say they intend to pursue the charges vigorously while investigators continue to seek additional information. Police and the FBI have asked anyone with relevant tips about the Sept. 27, 2024, incident to contact Pittsburgh’s Zone 4 station or the FBI’s Pittsburgh office, according to local reporting.
