NYPD Investigating Hate Crimes Targeting Religious Victims

The New York Police Department is looking into two separate hate crime incidents where victims were allegedly targeted because of their religion.

One case involves an anti-Semitic attack in Brooklyn that occurred on Tuesday. Authorities are searching for a suspect linked to the incident.

A 64-year-old man was approached by an unknown assailant around 8:15 a.m. at the intersection of Kings Highway and Ocean Avenue in the Midwood neighborhood. According to police reports, the attacker shouted anti-Semitic remarks, pushed the victim to the ground, and then fled the scene.

The man was subsequently taken to Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital, where he received treatment for back and hip injuries. Thankfully, his condition was reported as stable.

Images shared by the NYPD show the suspect, described as having dark brown hair and a mustache. During the attack, he was wearing a black backpack, dark gray pants, a light gray polo shirt, and a red baseball cap.

In a separate, related incident, authorities are also looking for a suspect involved in an anti-Muslim episode that took place in Queens last week. In this case, a man reportedly threatened two young women aged 19 and 21 on a Q66 MTA bus near Northern Boulevard and 51st Street around 6 p.m. last Thursday.

Police say the man brandished a box cutter, threatened the women, and made anti-Islamic remarks while doing so. Images released by the NYPD show the suspect wearing a navy jersey and a baseball cap as he left the bus.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported from this incident.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is actively investigating both cases.

Anyone with information about either incident is encouraged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website.