Disturbing video shows a man driving his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters in Brooklyn, then reversing and doing so again in an incident the NYPD says it is investigating as a hate crime.
The Wednesday crash at the Eastern Parkway building in Crown Heights, drew a massive police and emergency response. Authorities are investigating it as a hate crime. No injuries were reported.
Video posted to the Citizen app showed the car ram the front doors. It’s back lights then come on, signifying his reverse, before the driver zooms toward the front doors again. He was taken into custody at the scene.
His 2012 Honda Accord sedan was left mounted on the sidewalk. Charges hadn’t been filed as of Thursday morning.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani went late Wednesday to the scene “where a man intentionally, and repeatedly crashed his car into the building,” he said in a post on X. “I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident.”
The NYPD’s bomb squad found nothing incendiary during a full sweep of the man’s vehicle. Out of an abundance of caution, police have escalated security around houses of worship across the five boroughs.
“This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world,” Mamdani said. ” Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism has no place in our city.”
The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey also released a statement, saying it was “deeply disturbed” by reports of the incident. ADL also thanked law enforcement for their response.
“This building is not only a synagogue, but also the worldwide Chabad.org Headquarters and a beloved symbol of Judaism around the world,” the group said.
The FBI also responded to the scene.
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