A visiting professor at Harvard Law School has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly using a pellet rifle outside a Brookline synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Carlos Portugal Gouvea, 43, was arrested Wednesday night after police reported that he fired two shots near Temple Bession on Beacon Street. Gouvea later claimed he was trying to “hunt rats.”
While investigators do not believe he was specifically targeting the synagogue, legal records indicate he faces charges in Brookline District Court for firing a pellet gun illegally, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and malicious damage to property.
According to a spokesperson from Harvard Law School, Gouvea is currently on administrative leave as the institution seeks to learn more about the situation.
Reports indicate that the incident prompted a significant police response, involving over a dozen officers called to the scene just as services were beginning for one of the most holy days in the Jewish calendar.
Two security guards at the synagogue confronted Gouvea after they heard the shots and saw him with the pellet rifle. During the encounter, he allegedly tried to resist when they attempted to detain him, leading to a brief physical struggle, according to police accounts.
After fleeing to a nearby residence, Gouvea was later apprehended by officers who also found shattered glass from a nearby vehicle and a pellet lodged inside.
He was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with a court appearance scheduled for early November.
Neither Gouvea nor his attorneys have responded to requests for comments on the situation.
Authorities have stated that there was no indication the synagogue itself was the target of the alleged actions.
A Harvard Law School graduate, Gouvea holds a PhD from the university and is also an associate professor at the University of Sao Paulo Law School. He leads a think tank in Brazil that focuses on social and environmental justice.
Brookline police have yet to provide further details about the incident.
The reported actions take place during a particularly sensitive period for the Jewish community, especially following a recent attack in which two men were killed and several others injured near a synagogue in England.
Six individuals have been arrested in connection with that attack, which is being investigated as a terrorist incident. Authorities believe one victim may have been accidentally shot by the police during the chaos as people barricaded the synagogue’s entrance.
The situation also falls within the broader context of national discussions around anti-Semitism on university campuses, a matter that has led to significant scrutiny and legal challenges in recent years.
