Overview
- The crash occurred around 8:45 p.m. at 770 Eastern Parkway, where officers on a fixed post ordered the driver from a gray Honda with New Jersey plates to exit and took him into custody with no injuries reported.
- The NYPD bomb squad swept the vehicle and found no explosives, and the building was temporarily evacuated as a precaution.
- The incident happened during Yud Shevat, a major Chabad observance that drew large crowds to the headquarters, a globally significant site for the movement.
- Motive remains disputed as the driver told bystanders the car "slipped" and referenced parking, while witnesses and city officials described the ramming as intentional; the Hate Crimes Task Force is leading the probe.
- City and state leaders condemned the incident and increased security at houses of worship, and a Justice Department official said she instructed prosecutors to open a civil rights investigation; the suspect’s identity and formal charges were not yet released.