A man accused of entering a Manhattan synagogue during prayers and shouting "Allahu Akbar" in July 2025 was arrested Wednesday after police caught him attempting to evade a subway fare, New York City authorities said. He faces charges of aggravated harassment and disrupting a religious service.
Shear Nobles, 48, was detained at approximately 8:30 a.m. after ducking beneath a turnstile at the Fulton Street subway station in Lower Manhattan to avoid paying the fare.
Shear Nobles
(Photo: NYPD)
According to the New York Daily News, a background check revealed that Nobles was wanted in connection with an incident on the evening of July 21, 2025, at Shuva Israel synagogue in Manhattan.
Police said Nobles entered the synagogue during prayers and shouted "Allahu Akbar," an Arabic phrase meaning "God is greatest."
The New York Police Department had been searching for the suspect for more than a year. Just three days after the incident, investigators released surveillance images and appealed to the public for help identifying him.
At the time, the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force was involved in investigating the incident. However, no hate-crime charges were filed against Nobles following his arrest Wednesday.
According to VIN News, Nobles has no previous arrest record in New York City. Sources familiar with the case said he has a history of arrests in Philadelphia dating back approximately 20 years, including arrests involving robbery, burglary and retail-related offenses.