New Mexico man arrested for back-to-back attacks on two Jewish facilities

A New Mexico man is facing federal charges after allegedly carrying out back-to-back attacks on two Jewish community facilities in Albuquerque before later bragging about the incidents in text messages, according to the Department of Justice.

Federal prosecutors say Rex Crofton, 25, targeted both Congregation Albert and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) on June 2 in what authorities described as a series of motivated attacks against Jewish institutions.

According to court documents, Crofton arrived at Congregation Albert shortly after 4:30 pm and used a tool to shatter the synagogue's glass entry doors. Surveillance footage allegedly captured him making an obscene gesture toward the building and shouting an unintelligible statement before fleeing. 

Roughly eight minutes later, Crofton allegedly arrived at the Albuquerque JCC, where security cameras recorded him repeatedly striking the facility's front doors with what appeared to be a crowbar. Security guards confronted and pursued him, prompting Crofton to throw the tool into his vehicle through a passenger-side window. One guard was able to pepper-spray Crofton through the vehicle window before he sped away from the crowded parking lot, according to prosecutors. The incident forced the JCC to close temporarily, disrupting camp pickups and alarming community members.

Authorities say Crofton later sent text messages to a family friend claiming responsibility for the attacks. According to court filings, Crofton wrote, "... I just hit two synagogues in 5 minutes," and allegedly expressed a desire to kill police officers who attempted to intervene.

Law enforcement tracked Crofton to an Albuquerque residence, where he surrendered and was arrested by the Albuquerque Police Department on June 3. Federal agents subsequently executed search warrants at his residence and vehicles. Investigators say they recovered the crowbar-like tool allegedly used in the attacks, clothing matching surveillance footage, a revolver, high-capacity magazines, a machete, brass knuckles, and a torn Ukrainian flag that had been defaced with a swastika.

Crofton has been charged with damage to religious property. If convicted, he faces up to three years in federal prison.