Detectives are looking for a band of six brutes who attacked a man on a Brooklyn street Friday night in an apparent anti-Semitic hate crime, police reported.
The Hate Crimes Task Force is now investigating the violent beatdown, caught on camera, of a 21-year-old Hasidic man in front of an apartment building at 58 Gerry St. in Williamsburg at about 7:55 p.m. on April 1.
On Saturday, cops announced the arrest of one individual, a 16-year-old boy whose identity was withheld due to his age. He was charged with gang assault and assault as a hate crime.
According to police, the suspects approached the victim and attacked him without any prior provocation, or saying any words.
Grainy footage of the assault shows the mob mauling the man, punching and kicking him about the body, forcing him to the ground. Moments later, they fled the scene in an unknown direction.
The video also shows the suspect walking along Harrison Avenue toward Gerry Street just before the assault.
The incident was reported to the 90th Precinct. Police said the victim suffered minor injuries to his mouth, and was treated at the scene by EMS.
Hate crimes, particularly anti-Semitic attacks, have been on the rise in recent months. In February alone, the NYPD reported a 400% increase citywide in anti-Semitic hate crimes, with 56 incidents reported, up from the 11 recorded in February 2021.
Regarding Friday’s incident, police described the six suspects involved as follows:
Individual 1: A man with a dark complexion and a thin build, wearing a blue winter jacket, a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black sneakers.
Individual 2: A man with a medium complexion and a thin build, wearing a black winter jacket, a gray hooded sweatshirt, black jeans and white sneakers.
Individual 3: A man with a dark complexion and a thin build, wearing a black winter jacket with a fur-lined hood, black jeans and black sneakers.
Individual 4: A man with a dark complexion and a thin build, wearing a blue, white and red hooded jacket, blue jeans and sneakers.
Individual 5: A man with a dark complexion and a thin build, wearing a black hooded winter jacket, black sweatpants and white sneakers while carrying a black backpack.
Individual 6: A man with a medium complexion and a thin build, wearing a black winter jacket with a fur-lined hood, jeans and sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding the suspects’ whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
