A young Jewish man was stabbed to death near Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights on Saturday by a stranger who shouted “Free Palestine,” Chabad Lubavitch confirmed.
According to COLlive, a Chabad publication, the attack occurred around 2 a.m. local time near Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue.
The perpetrator, reportedly a black man in his early 20s, asked the victim, “Do you want to die?” before stabbing him.
Due to the quick response of the medical team and the location of the wound, the victim is expected to recover.
According to Yaacov Behrman, Chabad’s public relations officer, local residents managed to detain the attacker until police arrived and arrested him.
Increase in anti-Semitic incidents
“This act of hateful violence underscores the dangerous impact of the anti-Semitic incitement and hatred being spread by some local politicians and leaders in New York and across the United States,” Behrman wrote on X.
I can confirm that a hate-motivated stabbing attack occurred at approximately 2 a.m. this morning in Crown Heights, near Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue, near the Chabad headquarters. The perpetrator, a black man in his early 20s, shouted “Free Palestine” and after an exchange of words…
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) 11 August 2024
According to Behrman, although the victim’s name is not disclosed, he is well known in the local community.
Devorah Halberstam, volunteer public safety officer, told COLlive that the incident is being investigated by the hate crimes unit.
