Second Arrest Made in Violent Mugging

By COLlive reporter

A second teen who is accused of allegedly violently attacking and robbing two Jewish boys in Crown Heights was arrested on Sunday. The boy is a juvenile and was arrested after he was identified in surveillance footage of the attack.

The second perpetrator is seen in the video punching one of the victims. He will be arraigned in court tomorrow, COLlive has learned.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested in the 77th Precinct area last week, and is being held on $50,000 bail or $100,000 bond. He has at least 6 prior arrests, police said.

The teens were part of a group of 5 thugs who attacked and violently mugged two Jewish boys on Monday evening in Crown Heights.

The victims were walking on Albany Avenue near Crown Street at approximately 9:15 PM when the group of 5 black teens approached them from behind, police said.

The victims heard the teens say to ‘get them,’ before they approached one of the victims and demanded he give them what was in his pockets. They then punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground, police said.

Bystanders called Hatzalah, who transported the first victim to the hospital where he was treated for a broken nose and other broken bones in his face.

The NYPD 71st Precinct detectives are investigating the case, and are still searching for the other 4 perpetrators.

Rabbi Chanina Sperlin of the CHJCC says he and Rabbi Eli Cohen of the CHJCC and other community activists are involved to bring evidence of the violent nature of the attack, in which both victims were physically attacked, and which left one victim heavily bruised with several broken bones in his face.

“The main thing is to make sure this does not happen again,” said Chanina Sperlin. “We demand that the NYPD add more protection in the neighborhood. Our children, our families, must be able to walk safely on our streets,” he said.