Aaron Akaberi, a resident of Crown Heights who was known to many people in the neighborhood, was found dead on Thursday, 8 Mar-Cheshvan 5786.
Akaberi lived in a basement apartment on Kingston Avenue between Rutland and Midwood Streets, and led from there a drug selling operation, according to locals.
He was accused of selling drugs to local and visiting youngsters and ruining the lives of many families as a result. Little was known to the public about his Jewish identity and past.
His police mugshot and current picture were included on a poster that barred him and other harmful individuals from the premises of 770-784-788 Eastern Parkway, home to Lubavitch World Headquarters, one of the busiest synagogues in the United States.
“If they enter the premises, they will be trespassing,” the sign said. “If seen please call 911 and contact the officers outside and the Gabboim/managers.”
Akaberi would instead pull up in a chauffeured vehicle outside 770 and try to sell his goods from a distance. He would also bring his dog to the Mikvah and frighten people there.
Akaberi was found in his apartment on Thursday afternoon. Bystanders said the basement where he lived appeared to have flooded during the heavy rainstorms on Thursday.
New York City firefighters were seen bringing out the body. It was unclear if Akaberi died due to flooding or other causes.
he’s Jewish right?
yes he was
What about the dogs though 💔
The US of today where dogs matters more than human beings. I guess some human beings recognize themselves in dogs
who gets his bitcoin?
Chasdei Hashem!
He was a Jew who struggled who is now sadly not alive anymore.His action were not ok but Baruch hashem is what u respond that’s not ok in anycircunstance when talking about a Jew who passsd away
“Akaberi would instead pull up in a chauffeured vehicle outside 770 and try to sell his goods from a distance. He would also bring his dog to the Mikvah“.
I see nothing wrong with this. Dude was just trying to elevate the community and his dog. #RestInPeaceKing
I’m not one to find joy in anyone’s passing, especially not a fellow Jew. However, in this case, it’s clear that his actions brought serious harm, and somehow it had to come to an end. It seems Hashem chose this as his fate, and baruch Hashem, he’s no longer a concern for our community.
Hi there, I’m a reporter and I’ve been doing some reporting on Aaron’s death and his life and struggles before that. I’m very eager to talk to people who knew him as a person and who can speak to his sometimes complicated relationship with the community. It’s an important perspective that would add so much. If you’re open to it, I’d love to talk with you. You can reach me here at [email protected]. Happy to speak however you’re most comfortable. Let me know!
Who called 911 and what was the caller saying ????
Bde sad how he lived
May his soul rest in peace
Please refrain from posting negative comments on the niftar
Don’t police other people’s speech?
Sad how he lived
Sad how he passed away
Until after the funeral if you have nothing nice to say it’s best to remain silent
You never know the pain he was in
Drug dealers as well as pedophiles need to be removed from crownheights community
Bde
Looks like he got what he deserved
Sad what people choose
What happened/ will happen to his dog?
I heard it survived and the FDNY has it.
how is it okay that the FNDY locked up an innocent dog.
Whether he was Jewish or not is irrelevant. He should have been locked up in prison. Our community is safer now.
Please refrain from posting negative comments on the niftar. It’s considered mocking the poor when you speak lashon hara about a dead person. Let him rest in peace.
That the Crown heights community had to put up with him for so long, if 770 had security guards like a functional place he wouldn’t have been able to cause so much harm
we all clearly saw what happened to the security guards on Rosh Hashanah. what 770 needs is GABOIM, and RABBONIM, and a vaad to oversee the kicking out of tjhe crazies. from the rebbes holy shul.
Hi there, I’m a reporter and I’ve been doing some reporting on Aaron’s death and his life and struggles before that. I’m very eager to talk to people who knew him as a person and who can speak to his sometimes complicated relationship with the community. It’s an important perspective that would add so much. If you’re open to it, I’d love to talk with you. You can reach me here at [email protected]. Happy to speak however you’re most comfortable. Let me know!
BDE
A man died why you hinting to it being a good thing
Should have happened a lot time ago!!
He was a רוצח hurting the young and innocent people
About 15 years ago I crossed paths with him. He used to sell Wi-Fi routers for internet connections of sorts. I remember him telling me that his blue diesel Mercedes from the 1980s ran off of fried vegetable oil from the restaurants.
What happens to his 2 dogs
ברוך דיין האמת
He had a beautiful side to him too
I’ll miss him so much,
Yeah. He was a genious in computers. He was very kind. He came here with his wife when they became frum they had a baby named Shimon Daniel Yisroel . Unfirtunatly their marriage fell appart. Its very sad he ruined his life (not to mentikn other peoples lives) by selling drugs, as he was my close friebd from bedore this i tried ti convince him not to sell drugs , his father (who is a pharmacist from Iran )once came to him from Long Island and spent a few hours begging him to stop selling drugs. Didnt help. May his… Read more »
Hi there, I’m a reporter and I’ve been doing some reporting on Aaron’s death and his life and struggles before that. I’m very eager to talk to people who knew him as a person and who can speak to his sometimes complicated relationship with the community. It’s an important perspective that would add so much. If you’re open to it, I’d love to talk with you. You can reach me here at [email protected] Happy to speak however you’re most comfortable. Let me know!
He doesn’t deserve an article
i live on that block he died while the srteet was flooded like crazy
ברוך השם
הודו להשם כי טוב .כי לעולם חסדו.
if u see from the 2nd pic his basement was flooded like crazy(there was a massive flood on the corner)
יתמו חטאים ולא חוטאים
He wasn’t a חוטא he was a ממית! He’s responsible for multiple overdoses in our community, that’s murder, as well as destruction to families etc. he wasn’t killed by terrorists he was taken by the one above.
May Hashem bring revealed healing and health to everyone on all levels.
Please Hashem no more tza’ar. Please no more obstacles put in people’s paths. Please no more people in pain who look to substances for help for whatever it is…We should have Moshiach.
May his Neshama be at peace.
Regardless of the crimes he committed, a Jewish neshama is precious, and a soul was returned to Its maker today. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.
Is anyone arranging a kevuras Yisroel for him?
Does he have family? Is someone saying Kadish for him? Let’s please be kind and have some Ahavas Yisroel, especially after the tragedy that happened in Israel today…
May his Neshama have an Aliya, may his sins be forgiven, and may anyone affected by his actions be healed!
Agree with most of your comments.
Unfortunately, many that were affected by his actions are no longer amongst the living.
As a parent in C.H., (like many others) who has suffered from having “street people”, give my child drugs, let me tell you: Don’t be naive, that there was only 1 person in CH giving our kids drugs on the street. If that was true? Then C.H. would be drug free now 🙂 This is wake up call, for all of CH community, especially all of our עסקנים and activists and Vaad Hakohol, to “role up their sleeves”, and stop this from continuing. The Vaad Hakohol and other community activists all knew about “this basement” Drug Depot, yet, they DID… Read more »
If you dont heal the root cause,
You cannot solve the problem.
If kids are messed up, unhappy,
And leading a meaningless life,
Then they will turn to drugs.
If you stop one guy,
Someone else wil come..
As anyone in business knows,
There is something called the law of supply and demand.
Now im not calling for a free for all,
And definitely these drudealers need to be dettered,
But obviously,
Focusing only on half the issue
Will not bring the solution
Drugs are addictive, teenagers can be curious and bored feeling rebellious ,feeling invincible at times and trying an addictive substance thinking they won’t out or fun until they become addicted
First of all addiction and mental health problems are not limited to teenagers nor does the process begin in those years. If this is all you see, you need to open your other eye too. When we see someone acting erratically or showing other signs of psychological debilitation, we may kick them out of mosdos or laugh at them v’chulu. Special education is widely misunderstood and misapplied, but our schools can lead in the proper application because we have a community built on resilience and connection. Just like guns do not kill anyone, neither do drugs. The dealers kill, and… Read more »
Teenagers are naiive and looking for fun and feeling cool and rebellious,which is normal and theyre vulnerable, they need to be protected. Yes many also turn to it because of emotion pain and they all need to be protected from drugs,theyre all vulnerable.
was by Charlie’s levaya. He joined the procession with a balloon tied to the dog and was playing a recording of Charlie’s famous saying. Which makes me wonder, will he have a levaya?
He was there
I am sure that there was/will be one.
However, due to his past activities, it will be a private family event.
Every shliach meets a Jew from time to time who ‘seems to be’ completely and totally ‘not good’ in every way…
It is precisely this Jew that you can learn the most from, because it is only a sign that he was truly unbelievable good
Sometimes the Rebbe spent the most time and gave the most attention to the people you would never expect
Don’t come to a community that suffered so many karbonois and sell us your silly lessons.
You’re a Shliach? Then the first thing you need is common sense…
I really hope your kids don’t get drugged or harmed in other ways by these dangerous individuals you seem to care for more then the innocent victims.
G-d works in mysterious ways.
He got my brother hooked on LACED drugs, HE IS A MURDER.
Unfortunately there are bad people in this world, it’s just the way it is.
There’s no nice way to look at it
To all the people who Did Not know who he was and wrote nice things about him you all should be ashamed of yourselves.
Thank G-d for doing what needed to be done.
A Brother Forever and A Crown Heights Resident
Moshiach Now
You need to be aware that he has a Neshama that is literally a חלק אלוקי ממעל ממש, the same is with you! His Neshama and your neshama are very very connected, in fact a part of YOU! Who are we to judge him!? Only Hashem can, if we start to judge him and say things that may be or my not be true about him, who are we to get in between him and his creator?! When a diamond is lost from the chest, one hops that it is being taken care of and being maintained, hoping for the… Read more »
May it be atonement for his soul.
… from agunahood that lasted over 10 years.
Without discounting the damage and dangers he brought, is there kevaya info? A jewish brother is a jewish brother. And especially now, it’s just a neshama. And a neshama is pure
Burial took place on 10/31. Info is publicly available online. Just search for his name and “funeral”.
Any info on the Levaya?
Baruch Dayan AHemet🕯️😢
At least one thing constructive about him is that he can be the reason for important conversations about societal challenges and hopefully healthy constructive solutions. Someone addicted to drugs. Someone who sells drugs. Why people use drugs. How to respectfully address drug addiction. How should a community and individual treat someone who is mentally, socially and behaviorally at odds with and perhaps dangerous to community. How to deal with someone that directly or indirectly caused harm or death to your neighbor or loved one. What creates someone “bad”. How to treat and view a “bad” person after death. Is there… Read more »
There’s a whole lot of philosophizing you suggest in your comment. Let’s just start with the fact that you’re asking the community to come up with concrete answers to questions that are very ruchniusdik and/or very abstract. Though I may be mistaken, I sense an accusatory tone in your comment, yet, not surprisingly, I see no answers that you yourself offer. To me it seems that such questions are not the kind of “conversations” most of the community is equipped to engage in, at least not to the extent that it would result in anything truly concrete.
If you have nothing nice to say then don’t say anything. A Jew is a Jew no matter what he does, you may not agree with his actions but that past and now u must only say good on nothing
If he was a known drug dealer?! Is this the guy who drives around with face mask on an electric scooter with moshiach flag and his huge dog?
Yes
I didn’t know him but I saw him around and once approached him and this is what he told me: “there’s nothing like learning Maamer of the rebbe Rashab, on a Shabbos morning after eating a little bit of shrooms..
What a yid !! What a neshema who found something in chabad,to connect his mind with his heart and comprehend גדולת הבורא