A 14-year-old boy was charged with a hate crime Monday for allegedly spraying two older Jewish men with fire extinguishers in Brooklyn last weekend, police said.
The teen is accused of targeting the two victims dressed in traditional Hasidic garb in a pair of anti-Semitic attacks just minutes apart on Aug. 21 as they headed to a Williamsburg prayer service, according to cops.
In both instances, he sprayed the men, 72 and 66, with the fire-quelling chemicals, police said. In the second attack the teen also allegedly punched the victim.
“It’s believed these victims were targeted because they are Jewish,” NYPD Commissioner Keechan Sewell said at a Monday press conference announcing the arrest.
“No one deserves to be the victim of such senseless, hateful violence,” she added.
The teen was charged with assault as a hate crime, assault, and aggravated harassment.
The fire extinguisher attack came a day before 31-year-old Carrington Maddox allegedly slapped a Hasidic man in front of 144 Lynch St. In that attack, Maddox was hit with aggravated harassment as a hate crime and menacing charges.
It was unclear what the teen was charged with. DCPI
The 14-year-old was arrested Monday after allegedly targeting two older Jewish men who were dressed in traditional Hasidic garb. DCPIHate crime arrests skyrocketed by 103% this year across the Big Apple, with attacks on Jewish New Yorkers up by 43% compared to last year, Inspector Andy Arias of the Hate Crimes Division said Monday.
Rabbi Moishe Indig blamed the rise of anti-Semitic assaults on bail reform.
“The problem is a hole in the system,” he said at Monday’s press conference. “We just need you to help us get to the bottom part of the problem, which is fixing the system. Bail reform needs to be corrected,” he added.
