Pellet Gun Incident Involving HLS Prof. Apparently Not Motivated by Antisemitism, Brookline Synagogue Leaders Say

After a Harvard Law School visiting professor was arrested for shooting a pellet gun near a Brookline synagogue last week, synagogue leaders told affiliates in a Sunday email that the incident “does not appear to have been fuelled by antisemitism.”

Carlos Portugal Gouvea, a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, was arrested on Wednesday night for firing a pellet gun near Temple Beth Zion on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The pellets damaged a car window. Gouvea told police he was hunting rats.

The incident drew more than a dozen officers to the synagogue on Wednesday night, though police told local news outlet Brookline.News last week that it did not appear Gouvea was targeting Temple Beth Zion.

Synagogue president Larry Kraus and executive director Benjamin Maron wrote in the email to Temple Beth Zion affiliates, which was reviewed by The Crimson, that “from what we were initially told by police, the individual was unaware that he lived next to, and was shooting his BB gun next to, a synagogue or that it was a religious holiday.”

Synagogue leadership and the Brookline Police Department did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday at noon.

Gouvea was charged on Thursday with illegally discharging a pellet gun, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and vandalizing property. He will appear for a hearing at the Brookline District Court in November.

Kraus and Maron added that the synagogue was placed “on lockdown” until police searched the area and Gouvea was arrested.

Jeff Neal, an HLS spokesperson, confirmed in a Saturday email that Gouvea “has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter,” but did not specify when the University was made aware of Gouvea’s arrest.

An investigation into the incident was pending as of Saturday, and no disciplinary action had been taken against Gouvea.

—Staff writer Matan H. Josephy can be reached at matan.josephy@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @matanjosephy.

—Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart.