Maryland man arrested after refusing to stop, found with pocketknife at Jewish school, police say

Man arrested after confrontation at Jewish school, police say

A Germantown man was arrested after an altercation with two off-duty Montgomery County police officers at a Jewish day school, authorities said.

ROCKVILLE, Md. - A Germantown man was arrested after an altercation with two off-duty Montgomery County police officers at a Jewish day school, authorities said.

School security spotted a vehicle circling the parking lot of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday, police said. The driver, Joseph Amr Khairy Abdall, 38, lacked a valid student pickup pass and was asked to leave. Officers said he returned shortly after and refused to stop when ordered.

Police said Abdall drove through traffic cones in the pickup line and into lanes with oncoming vehicles before eventually stopping. When officers approached, he refused to exit or identify himself, prompting police to attempt to remove him. Abdall resisted and became combative, authorities said.

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Man arrested at school

What we know:

During the struggle, a pocketknife fell from his possession, according to police. Officers took Abdall into custody. The two off-duty officers suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Abdall faces charges including assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest, officials said. Authorities said there is no evidence at this time that Abdall intended to harm anyone at the school.

"The actions of these officers shows our heightened efforts to protect our community and the courage of officers to take decisive action for the safety of all," Montgomery County Police Chief Yamada said in a statement.

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Community concerns remain high

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said Friday that the incident has heightened concerns within the Jewish community, following recent violent attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado.

"The rise in antisemitic violence across the country is alarming," Elrich said. "These threats are real, and people here feel them every day."

While police are not classifying the incident as a hate crime, Elrich said that community concerns remain high.