A visibly Jewish man was slashed in the face while walking on the intersection between Flatbush and Lafayette Avenues in front of the Whole Foods Market in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday at approximately 9:15 a.m., Crown Heights activist and founder of Jewish Future Alliance, Yaacov Behrman, reported on X/Twitter.
I can confirm that at approximately 9am this morning on Flatbush and Lafayette, a member of the Crown Jewish community was slashed in the face. I just spoke to the family; he is hospitalized and requires surgery. The attacker allegedly yelled hateful rhetoric.This is a very…
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) October 29, 2024
The victim is a member of the Crown Heights Jewish community in his late 20s. He has been hospitalized and requires surgery, Behrman stated.
The attacker yelled hateful rhetoric before attacking the victim, Collive reported. The attacker was reportedly a Black man wearing a ski mask.
“This is a very serious incident, and the Jewish Future Alliance is deeply concerned about it. Witnesses at the scene testified that it was unprovoked,” Behrman added.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James responded to the post on X. “We will not tolerate any attacks against our Jewish communities. I am thankful that the victim is expected to make a full recovery, and I encourage anyone with information to report it to @NYPDnews,” she stated.
We will not tolerate any attacks against our Jewish communities. I am thankful that the victim is expected to make a full recovery, and I encourage anyone with information to report it to @NYPDnews. https://t.co/Aqbh3iuEXX
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) October 30, 2024
Apprehending the attacker
The Crown Heights volunteer emergency services team, Shmira, is assisting the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in ensuring the attacker is apprehended, Collive reported.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released an analysis in August stating that antisemitic incidents accounted for 65% of all felony hate crimes in New York City in 2023.
Across all of New York state, 88% of religious-based hate crimes targeted Jewish individuals.