A night of sacred celebration at the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn was shattered Wednesday evening when a vehicle repeatedly slammed into the building’s doors.
Thousands had gathered in prayer when a man, driving a car, deliberately targeted the synagogue, striking it multiple times in a terrifying sequence of forward and reverse movements. Witnesses described a scene of chaos and fear as the driver endangered those nearby.
Avrohom Pink, who witnessed the event, recounted the driver yelling at people to move before accelerating towards the building. He described the vehicle repeatedly ramming the structure, a jarring back-and-forth assault that lasted several minutes.
Police officers, already present in the area, quickly intervened, detaining the driver immediately after he exited the vehicle. The suspect, a 36-year-old man from Carteret, New Jersey, is currently receiving evaluation for emotional distress.
Initial claims by the suspect regarding mechanical failure have been met with skepticism. Witnesses reported seeing the man observing the location prior to the incident, and believe he may be connected to similar occurrences in New Jersey.
The incident has prompted a full investigation by the Department of Justice, now being treated as a potential hate crime. This escalation reflects the gravity of the situation and the concerns surrounding the motivation behind the attack.
Yaacov Behrman, a spokesperson for the Chabad, expressed deep concern, stating the crash appeared intentional and driven by bias. He emphasized the growing dangers faced by Jewish communities globally and the need for reassurance regarding safety.
A visible police presence remains stationed outside the synagogue, providing a sense of security as the community grapples with the shock and fear caused by this deliberate act of aggression.
