Assault Details
On August 29, 2024, Al Jabali entered Shushakov’s Yonkers barbershop under the guise of requesting a shave, then grabbed a pair of barber’s shears, calling Shushakov a “[expletive] Jew” before slashing him in the arm and hand and continuing to shout antisemitic slurs throughout the attack. Shushakov, 50, sustained multiple cuts to his arm, hand, and body and was left shaken by what he described as a vicious, unprovoked hate-crime assault.
Legal Proceedings
Al Jabali pleaded guilty on April 21, 2025, in Westchester County Court to Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, admitting that his actions were motivated by antisemitic animus. Under New York law, the conviction carries a presumptive term of up to six years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for May 29 before Judge James McCarty.
Community and Official Response
District Attorney Susan Cacace condemned the violence: “Hate has no home in Westchester County,” she said, pledging to “seek justice for victims of antisemitic violence.” Shushakov added, “No one should have to go through what I went through… This attack is a reminder that we have a lot more to do to eradicate hate and antisemitism in Westchester County.”
Investigation and Prosecution
The Yonkers Police Department investigated the assault, gathering eyewitness accounts and shop surveillance footage. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Elizabeth Shumejda and Luis Felix, who argued successfully for the hate-crime enhancement.