Overview
- The disruption occurred Friday evening during Shabbat services when a man began shouting and was being escorted out by synagogue security.
- An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at the synagogue immediately intervened and took the 46-year-old man into custody.
- Police say the man struck a 63-year-old congregant, headbutted and spat at a 65-year-old security guard, and damaged synagogue property.
- Authorities have not released the suspect’s identity and have launched a probe as a possible hate crime with the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force involved and extra officers sent to the site.
- The incident follows other recent religion-linked attacks in the city and has heightened concern about security at houses of worship while paid NYPD details are credited with limiting further harm.