Brooklyn

Reward Offered in Shooting Death of Rabbi

Police are still searching for two suspects who shot and killed 60-year-old Joseph Raksin while he was walking to a temple in North Miami Beach on Saturday morning.

Members of the Orthodox Jewish community in Miami are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting death of a rabbi visiting from New York.

Police are still searching for two suspects who shot and killed 60-year-old Joseph Raksin while he was walking to a temple in North Miami Beach on Saturday morning.

Raksin was from Brooklyn, New York, and was visiting his daughters who live in South Florida.

Miami-Dade Police said Raksin was walking on the 800 block of NE 175th Street around 9 a.m. when two young males approached him. Raksin was shot during the altercation.

Raksin was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where he died.

The two suspects fled the scene, one on a bike and one on foot, according to police. Police do not yet have a good description of the shooters, and say there are no signs that this was a hate crime.

Neighbors, however, disagree, referencing a swastika that had been painted on a synagogue down the block two weeks ago

The neighborhood is in a heavily-populated orthodox Jewish community with 11 synagogues in the area.

"While the motivation for this crime is still being investigated, nothing can justify the killing of an innocent man walking to his place of worship to pray on his holy day," said Anti-Defamation League Florida Regional Director Hava Holzhauer in a statement.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miam-Dade Crimestoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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