UPDATE: Levi Rosenblatt, the 22-year-old rabbinical student who was stabbed earlier this morning in the 770 Eastern Parkway synagogue, has been placed in an induced coma after doctors discovered internal bleeding that is putting pressure on his brain. Please say Tehillim for Levi Yitzchok ben Raizel.
A 22-year-old rabbinical student fromIsrael is in stable condition after being stabbed by a man who rushed into the synagogue at Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters early Tuesday morning and attacked the student.
Following the attack, the perpetrator was shot by police after he refused to drop his weapon and charged at a police officer. The attacker was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital.
The victim was identified as Levi Yitzchak Rosenblat, from Beitar Ilit, Israel. The public was asked to pray for the speedy recovery of Levi Yitzchak ben Raizel.
At 1:37 a.m., a man who police identified as a New York resident with a criminal history stormed into the building and approached Rosenblat, who was studying in the synagogue, and stabbed him. According to witnesses, the perpetrator was heard repeatedly saying: “Kill the Jews!” A group of individuals immediately intervened to stop him from stabbing more students.
Police arrived very soon afterwards and officers ordered the 49-year-old man to put his weapon down, and at first, he did. But he picked the knife up again and charged at one of the officers, who fired once.
“We continue to pray for the young man,” said Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters. “While we are very pained by everything that unfolded, we are very grateful to the police for their quick response and we are working closely with the authorities in their ongoing investigation,” he added.
“We commend the heroic efforts of the individuals who were present and took immediate action,” said Seligson. “If not for their intervention, the outcome could have been, G?d forbid, far worse.”
Article Sources: Chabad.org, Crownheights.info
WARNING: Graphic Video, viewer discretion advised.
WARNING: Graphic Video, viewer discretion advised.
