Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY – Just after 7:00pm Friday afternoon, as Crown Heights residents prepared for shabbos, the Crown heights Shomrim Hotline rang, and 10 Shomrim volunteers sprang into action.
Two Jewish males had been standing on Carroll Street and Schenectady Ave when a man, describes as a black male, walked by and said “You (expletive) Jews! Hitler should have finished you off!” The two Jewish men, shocked at the hate filled words, responded.
The situation quickly got out of control as the perpetrator pulled out a canister of mace, spraying one of the Jewish men in the face. The second man, attempting to intervene, was also assaulted as the perpetrator picked up a stick and hit him in the head.
Shomrim and police arrived as the perpetrator fled up Troy Ave between President St and Union St, where he was apprehended and arrested.
The assault is being treated as a hate crime, and is being investigated.
