MONSEY (VINnews) — Multiple people were stabbed Saturday night in a synagogue.
According to reports, a black male entered Rabbi Rottenburg’s Shul with his face covered by a scarf, and pulled out a machete. He pulled off the cover and stabbed 5 people. One of the victims was stabbed in the chest.
According to reports, 15 victims were transported to the hospital, but 5 were ultimately hospitalized. 1 victim is in critical condition.
The perpetrator ran out after his attack and escaped in a Nissan Sentra. His license plate (HPT 5747) was spotted before he left.
The vehicle was then identified to have passed over the George Washington Bridge to New York City at 11:02PM.
Police initially tracked the vehicle to an address located in Greewood Lake. Police also tracked down the father of the suspect and are interviewied him.
At approximately midnight, the NYPD stopped a vehicle matching the description at W 177 Street and 7 Avenue in Harlem. A suspect from the vehicle was taken into custody. Police would not confirm for certain that the suspect in custody is the perpetrator of the stabbing.
Rabbi Rottenburg’s Shul is located in the Forshay neighborhood in Monsey.
This attack comes amid a frightening spike in anti-Semitic attacks on Jews across New York. Since the beginning of Chanukah alone, there have been at least 5 recorded attacks on Jews across New York, not including this stabbing.
In the first incident, a 65-year-old Jewish man was standing on East 41st Street between 2nd and 3rd Ave, when he was suddenly approached by a man who yelled expletives at him. When he looked up, he was punched in the face and fell to the ground. His attacker continued to pummel him on his face and torso as he lay on the ground.
The second incident occured on Monday as well. Williamsburg Shomrim and NYPD were called after 2 Jewish children were attacked in front of 99 Wilson Street.
In the third incident, a Jewish man was walking on Kingston Ave in Crown Heights on Tuesday morning, at approximately 2 AM. As he was walking, he was approached by a gang of black youths who proceeded to yell anti-Semitic slurs at him. When he took out his cellphone to film the incident, one of the youths threw his drink at him.
The fourth incident took place in Crown Heights as well. A Jewish man was walking on Union Street from Albany Ave towards Kingston Ave, when he noticed that he was being followed by a group of 8 teenagers. As the victim turned off Kingston Ave, the teens closed the distance and accosted him. One of the teens hit the victim in the back of the head, knocking him down to the ground.
In a fifth incident, a man was attacked Wednesday morning in Boro Park, on 13th Ave near 48th Street. The victim was walking down the street, when he was approached out of the blue by a man who promptly punched him. There were no words exchanged before the assault.
SOURCE: VOSIZNEIAS