ABQ Jewish community shaken after violent synagogue attack

An Albuquerque man is facing multiple charges after police say he smashed windows at two Jewish institutions in the city, causing major damage and heightening concerns over antisemitism in New Mexico.

According to reporting from the Santa Fe New Mexican, 25-year-old Rex Crofton was arrested in connection with the vandalism at Congregation Albert Synagogue. A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court charges Crofton with desecration of a church, two counts of criminal damage to property, and a hate crime sentencing enhancement.

Police were called to Congregation Albert on Tuesday evening after witnesses reported a man smashing windows near the entrance before leaving the scene. Witnesses told police the damage totaled around $40,000, according to the complaint.

KOAT reported that an employee called police around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, as the synagogue was wrapping up its workday.

“We were getting ready to wind down our day when an individual approached our building and smashed some of the panels on our front door and then left,” Senior Rabbi Celia Surget told KOAT.

Surget asked that the exterior of the synagogue and the boarded-up doors not be shown, emphasizing that the congregation is more than the damage done to its building.

“Our community is more than just what happened to our front doors. It’s about the people who make it. It’s about the exchanges that happen here,” Surget said.

Police later arrested Crofton after reviewing license plate-reading camera footage in the area that linked his vehicle to the incident, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

KOAT reported that police say Crofton was seen on security cameras about 10 minutes later doing the same thing at the Jewish Community Center on Wyoming Boulevard.

Ron Winger of the JCC said the suspect was unable to get inside the building.

“He banged on the first set of doors. Those doors opened. He then banged on the second set of doors. He did not get in the facility,” Winger told KOAT.

Winger said the JCC’s security protocols worked, including procedures to protect children who were present for camp.

“We have camp going on and we took care of the kids. They were evacuated as our protocol calls for, but we didn’t have any interruption in service,” Winger said.

By Wednesday morning, JCC members noticed an increased law enforcement presence. One member, identified by KOAT as Robert, said he saw a police car when he arrived for an early workout.

“I worked out this morning; there was a police car saying that. I was wondering why when I went in, I thought, that’s kind of odd,” he said.

Asked what he believed motivated the damage, Robert was blunt.

“They’re Jewish. Plain and simple. Antisemitism, without a doubt,” he said.

A judge approved an extreme risk protection order against Crofton on Thursday, allowing authorities to confiscate his firearms. According to the police petition cited by the Santa Fe New Mexican, relatives described Crofton as suffering from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia and said he had begun expressing “extreme antisemitic views” about a year ago.

Crofton was scheduled to be arraigned Friday.

The Jewish Community Relations Coalition of New Mexico said it activated its security network program after the incident, alerting community leaders and helping coordinate a heightened response.

“Tuesday’s attacks reinforced the urgent need for additional security resources, training, and support to help Jewish organizations across New Mexico meet the growing security challenges they face,” Juan Dircie, the organization’s director, said.

The Friends of Israel Project, a New Mexico-based organization, also issued a forceful statement condemning the vandalism.

“This is truly heartbreaking,” the group wrote. “Seeing a synagogue and Jewish Community Center vandalized right here in New Mexico brings back the chilling echoes of Kristallnacht. The night synagogues were smashed and Jewish communities were attacked across Germany. That was only the beginning.”

The group said Jewish New Mexicans should never be made to feel unsafe in their own communities.

“Our Jewish neighbors should never have to feel unsafe in their own community. As a New Mexico-based organization, this hits close to home. We refuse to stay silent while Jew hatred targets our neighbors,” the statement continued.

“To our local Jewish community: you are not alone. We see you, we stand with you, and we will continue fighting antisemitism with everything we have through education, truth, and real relationship-building until our communities are truly safe.”

The FBI has also been contacted about the case. KOAT reported that FBI representatives said only that they are actively investigating the incident.

For Albuquerque’s Jewish community, the damage was more than broken glass. It was a reminder that antisemitism is not confined to national headlines or college campuses — it is showing up at synagogues and community centers in New Mexico.

As the criminal case proceeds, Jewish leaders and allies are calling for vigilance, accountability, and a clear public stand against antisemitic hate.