By COLlive reporter
A man who repeatedly rammed his car into Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway on Wednesday night had been inside the shul earlier that day and had spoken with Yeshiva students, witnesses said. The suspect had also been seen at other Chabad centers in recent months.
The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, was arrested after driving a gray Honda sedan with New Jersey plates into an entrance of 770 multiple times during the evening.
According to Yaacov Behrman, spokesperson for Chabad, a group of bochurim interacted with the suspect roughly an hour before the attack. The man approached them near 770 and asked when the farbrengen for Yud Shevat—the yartzeit of the Frierdiker Rebbe and the day the Rebbe assumed leadership—was taking place.
“The students told him that there were events both that night and the following day,” Behrman said.
Video of the incident shows the vehicle entering the driveway of 770 Eastern Parkway and repeatedly ramming into a side entrance of the shul. Footage circulating on social media shows the driver backing up and crashing into the doorway at least four times.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the driver was quickly taken into custody. The NYPD has opened a hate crime investigation into the incident, Tisch said. According to police, he later claimed the crash was caused by a mechanical issue and made no terroristic statements following his arrest. There were no reported injuries.
Multiple witnesses said the man had been lingering outside the building prior to the crash. A 20-year-old student, Shlomo, said the suspect stood outside the synagogue for at least 15 to 20 minutes in below-freezing temperatures, wearing only shorts, a T-shirt, and an open hoodie.
“He seemed a little not with it,” the student said, noting the clothing was highly unusual for the weather.
Witnesses and sources also told investigators that the same individual had been seen at other Chabad centers, including locations in New Jersey, in recent months. An undated video circulating on social media appears to show the suspect inside 770, dancing with bochurim following Shacharis.
One witness said the man was frequently asking people for help and that police had previously been called regarding his behavior. Another source recalled seeing him at a New Jersey Chabad center in November, where he was “looking for spiritual guidance.”
“He was very learned—he knew a lot about the Bible and Judaism. He was having a hard time with life,” the source said. Others noted that he gave conflicting accounts of his Jewish background, at times claiming his mother was Jewish and at other times pretending to be Jewish himself.
Behrman said he believes the incident was intentional and motivated by bias.
“This is a very serious incident—it’s very frightening,” Behrman said. We’re concerned about what this person intended to do. The real question is, how do we make sure this does not ever happen again?”
The synagogue was evacuated following the incident as a precaution. Police said the vehicle was secured and the scene cleared.
VIDEO: Undated video appears to show the suspect dancing in 770
Credit: Daniel Yeroshalmi/ch_response
This year Labor Day the entire block of 770 must be blocked off
It is public road. They are entitled to March there.
On Labor Day for the past couple of years they’ve done proper barriers and police are stationed near all the entrances
Obviously he had some mental issues. But he accomplished tremendous publicity in a way reaching many unaffiliated Jews. Showing how a guy comes in with long hair and shorts and is accepted by what many unaffiliated Jews have negative thoughts of black hatters was awesome. This video must go viral to every secular temple worldwide. Even if one secular Jew decides to try a Chabad house because of this love shown to this individual it was worth having the doors coming down. Maybe the rebbe was sending a heavenly message. Bring in all of Am Yisroel. There is no need… Read more »
Sarcasm
No its NOT sarcasm
Fact is there are five million more or less unaffiliated Jews in America. At least four million in Israel. There is much work to be done. Today it’s not only kiruv rechokim but also kiruv Krovim. Everyone knows it. It’s in every community from willliamsburg to Boro park to upstate to crown heights. We must get everyone involved in increasing their growth to Torah. Nothing happens by coincident. It’s a wake up call for all of us in klal yisroel. How to improve your spiritual growth ask for guidance from your Rav or mashpia.
If he’s been there several different centers , wouldn’t it make sense for them to talk to each other so that an alert could be sent out
Himself from the driveway, with no one responsible, questioning him about what he was doing!
they’re usually locked. But ya. Crazy.
Is Lubavitch not reaching out enough that others need to reach in? Sus vrochvo horse and it’s rider cast into the sea…of Torah learning
Maybe some steel poles in front of all entrances???????
Its too close. It needs to be at least at the edge of sidewalk next to pavement around 770 perimeter si no car bomb can get even close to the buildingfrom any side.
Even that may not be enough when people walk on side walk. It may require polls that can be put down to the street level or up when necessary at a further place also encircling 770 perimeter but from across the street and some even on the street for those occasions
Who is this real Neshomo, parents, siblings, family, residents, background, TOTAL history
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE, REALITY
WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO REALLY BE DOING, THE ATTACK IS VERY PERSONAL IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, TIMING, LOCATION, INTENTION.
What are we missing…
Please H”B come yourself, speak directly to us, we are here with no were else to go or turn
Are we supposed to lift the white flag instead of the yellow
Higia Hazman
“RISE OX”
How foolish are those Bochurim?
Can’t they notice that it looks Arabic?!!!!
He looks exactly like so many Israeli bochurim!
… at all. And even if he did, have you ever met any Israelis?
Are we supposed to judge people based on their look now. What if he was Arabic and was looking to convert, are we supposed turn him away? And besides, are the bachurim supposed to police 770 and decide who is or who isn’t allowed in?.
There is so much talking in shul!
We need to provide drive through options!!!
WE CAN NOT allow any Joe shmoe to come in the shul! WE CAN NOT put tefillin on people that are a DANGER AND CLEARLY LOOK DERANGED! OUR safety and the safety of our community comes first!!!!! There is not use in being a chassid Shoteh.
BH We were spared but it is time to come up with policies for EVERY Chabad facility to deal with strange / unusual people and situations and provide training worldwide for bochurim and all staff. Saving actual lives comes first ! What we are hearing about his actions BEFORE the ramming (seen removing safety poles in driveway) is a major warning that we must be educated before a tragedy. And what about SERIOUSLY serious organized security ??
B”H
Bruh strange people can look like regular bochurim also
And normal people can dress strangely
It’s not about looks, 770 guest is all needs to get new gabaim, second of all major some kind of turnstile system with say passes and stuff like other organizations
What on earth is wrong with all those people standing around? They should have moved away and called the police and 911 ASAP. This could have been far more dangerous if he actually managed to get through the doors and drive into 770.
And don’t even start with the whole “mentally ill” thing. That’s the excuse used to play-down every single incident of antisemitism and does a huge dis-service to the community. The fact that he pretended to be Jewish to scope out 770 meant that he knew EXACTLY what he was doing.
This is all because we allow these meshichist to treat 770 like it is a joke. Where clearly mentally ill, and potentially dangerous people, are welcomed with open arms and dance like its a joke. 770 is a holy place, but with all that we allow, it breeds this behavior. Shame that 770 is just turning more and more into a dump. Nothing will ever change and there is no point thinking otherwise.
Was waiting for the hatred from an anti. Be ashamed of yourself
770 was always a magnet even back in the days before gimmel tammuz
There should be a dedicated hot-line so that a description / picture can be publicized IMMEDIATELY if any “unusual” people are hanging around a Chabad House / school / camp etc. so that everyone can be on the lookout.
For all of you concerned “why wasn’t he stopped? He was seen taking out the poles?”
Have you ever been around 770?! There are so many random goyim doing random jobs. How am I meant to know that this guy wasn’t doing actual work? For all I care he could have been one of the guys shlepping and building the bleachers 2 hours before?!
Don’t just look at the headlines and talk, think about what it was like being there…
Send him to that yeshivah a that’s a block away from 770. It’s Hadar Hatorah. As a former student, i believe they will help him.
He doesn’t belong in yeshivah
A. I don’t see any proof here that the guy is Jewish. It’s possible to research it. In any event Jewish or not, if he’s an unsafe person he should not be allowed to step foot near 770.
B. Consider hiring Mr. Zalman Myers Smith to do trainings for security at 770. He has many years of experience in England and in the USA and does a superb job. I’m sure 770 would be safer if you would follow his method.
at times claiming his mother was Jewish and at other times pretending to be Jewish himself. Lol
He looks like thousands of regular Chabad House attendees . If you are going to report every strange guy in an average Bais Chabad outside of CH than you have to close it completely 🙂 That’s the reality
He comes from a muslim family with Pakistani origins
We are all so vulnerable here. Anyone can walk in let alone do a ramming anytime. And the fact that he first came in and connected to the bocherim (oh let him join our circle; thats how we are. NOT ANY MORE; It is not business as usual anymore !! All shuls owe it to their congregants to hire security and train at least 6 to 10 members what to do for a Shooters Response \emergency situation. Better to do this now on a 311 and has v’shalom on a 911. We dodged a bullet last night BH but we… Read more »
Ahdus is a key! There were our new Chabad they are still kids and can fix the mahlokes and be united!
Maybe he never got the memo that the tunnels in 770 had been sealed off! 🙂
The incident, motive and action are irrelevant. The stewards of 770 must study and implement a security system that will safeguard 770 and its surrounding properties. Concrete pillars at all major entrances. Eliminate non essential entrances. Full time security guards to check all packages . Ambiguous metal detectors do weapons and other apparatuses and devices that are deemed threatening. Armed guards to visually I.D. Suspects. Cameras inside and outside 770. Monthly thorough sweeps of the building for suspected packages and devises. Bi-annual review of security protocol and practices. Permanently block off the service lane. Anyone wanting to enter the service… Read more »
We are all so vulnerable here. Anyone can walk in let alone do a ramming anytime. And the fact that he first came in and connected to the bocherim (oh let him join our circle; thats how we are. NOT ANY MORE; It is not business as usual anymore !! All shuls owe it to their congregants to hire security and train at least 6 to 10 members what to do for a Shooters Response \emergency situation. Better to do this now on a 311 and has v’shalom on a 911. We dodged a bullet last night BH but we… Read more »
“that he gave conflicting accounts of his Jewish background, at times claiming his mother was Jewish and at other times pretending to be Jewish himself.”
thats not such a big conflict…