NYPD Investigates Assault as Stranger Trips Jewish Woman on Brooklyn Street

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a disturbing incident that unfolded on a Brooklyn street this week, a Jewish woman became the target of a hate crime when a stranger randomly tripped her, the New York Post reported. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is actively investigating the incident, which took place on Thursday morning. The assailant’s actions, coupled with the victim’s religious garb, have raised concerns about the rise of targeted attacks against Jews as the rate of anti-Semitism has dramatically increased.

The Post reported that the 51-year-old victim was walking on Empire Boulevard near Rogers Avenue in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood when the incident occurred. The male assailant approached her from the opposite direction, and without uttering a word, he deliberately tripped her as they were about to pass each other. Startled and caught off guard, the victim fell to the sidewalk, sustaining bruises and cuts on her hands and knees, the report said.

Following the assault, the assailant fled the scene by heading along Empire Boulevard. Witnesses reported that he disappeared into the Sterling Street/Nostrand Avenue subway station, serviced by the Nos. 2 and 5 trains, according to the Post report. The victim was immediately transported to Maimonides Medical Center, where she received medical treatment for her injuries and was subsequently released.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force has taken over the investigation, recognizing the incident as a hate crime due to the victim’s religious affiliation and the seemingly unprovoked nature of the attack, the Post report said. Authorities are dedicated to identifying and apprehending the suspect responsible for this senseless act of violence.

To aid in the investigation, the NYPD has released several photographs of the suspect. The Post also reported that descriptions provided state that the individual is approximately 40 years old, possesses a dark complexion, and has a thin build. At the time of the assault, the assailant was seen wearing eyeglasses, a camouflage-colored Nike baseball cap, a blue T-shirt, black shorts, and black sneakers, as was reported by the Post.  The images captured the suspect inside the Sterling Street subway station, potentially assisting with his identification.

This distressing incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent presence of hate specifically directed towards Jews.  It underscores the urgent need for communities to stand together against such acts of violence, intolerance, and discrimination. By supporting and protecting targeted groups, society can send a resounding message that hate crimes have no place in our neighborhoods, cities, or the world at large.

As the investigation progresses, it is crucial for the public to remain vigilant and report any information that may aid law enforcement in apprehending the suspect.

The NYPD urges anyone with relevant information to contact their Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Calls can be made anonymously, and information leading to an arrest and indictment may be eligible for a reward.

Earlier this week, it was reported that The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is offering a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any co-conspirators or persons rendering criminal assistance in the 1994 murder of Ari Halberstam and the attempted murder of 14 teenagers on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Halberstam was a resident of the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn and was a member of the Lubavitch Chassidic movement.

The ADL is searching for anyone who may have additional information on the March 1, 1994 murder of Halberstam, 16, who was shot on the Brooklyn Bridge when a Lebanese-born terrorist and livery driver, Rashid Baz, opened fire on a van in carrying him and 14 other yeshiva students. Baz, who died in prison last year, is no longer a potential source of information in the case.

Bassam Reyati, Baz’s uncle and the car owner, was convicted of concealing evidence, receiving a five-year probation and a $1,000 fine. Hilal Abd Al-Aziz Muhammad, the owner of the car repair shop used by Baz, was also found guilty of concealing evidence and hindering prosecution, receiving five years of probation. Albert Jeanniton faced conviction for the illegal sale of one of the guns acquired by Baz.

“The death of Ari Halberstam was indisputably an anti-Semitic terrorist attack and a hate crime that sent shock waves through the Jewish community and the entire country,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “We greatly appreciate the federal government’s efforts to seek justice against Baz and his co-conspirators. But the question remains: Were others involved as part of a larger conspiracy? We hope that this new reward will incentivize anyone who has any information in this case to step forward.”