By COLlive reporter
Calling it an eleventh-hour surprise, families and community leaders expressed hope in the NYPD’s arrest of the man they say stabbed Leiby Brikman, but questioned the timing and vagueness of the announcement.
“A previous rumor of an arrest was nothing but a distraction,” said a source close to the Brikman family. “Maybe it’s him, hopefully it’s him, but we can’t wake up tomorrow and hear: ‘wrong guy!’ and see the case go cold.”
On Facebook, concerned community members wanted to know how committed the NYPD is to the growing threat of anti-Jewish stabbings.
Several weeks before Leiby was stabbed, David Katz was stabbed. No arrests have been made in connection with that attack. “Is this guy responsible for both stabbings? If not, are the police still looking for David’s attacker?”
Surveillance video from multiple angles shows Leiby’s attacker running away with a bloody knife. Police have not said if the man arrested yesterday matches the man in those videos.
According to several members in the community, police dismissed multiple tips during the past month, claiming that they know who Leiby’s stabber is and are not looking for any more leads. Today’s announcement leaves many wondering if the police acted negligently by not following those leads, essentially allowing yesterday’s stabbings to happen.
The Brikman and Katz families called on the community to show up en masse for tonight’s meeting at 7:00PM at the JCM.
“It could be you or your spouse or child who is stabbed G-d-forbid while strolling up Kingston,” one community member said. “We must visibly and vocally express our need for real answers.”
I”m heavily involved in ‘The 7 Noahide Laws,’ also My feet hurt…running around re: a court case. Now, if this is the culprit I would have wasted my time going to the museum. If he’s not the ‘rasha’ I’ll go to the next meeting, B”N . ‘Todah raabah’
four words I will be there
Everyone please go to this meeting to make sure we take care of the safety of Bais rabainu!!!! And our home!