Overview
- A 46-year-old Bronx man disrupted Shabbat services and struck a 63-year-old congregant while being escorted out Friday, police said.
- An NYPD sergeant working a paid detail at Central Synagogue intervened on site and took the suspect into custody, authorities said.
- Police identified the suspect as Larry Montes and charged him with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime along with other charges.
- Victims suffered minor injuries that were treated at the scene and are reported to be recovering while the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force leads an active investigation.
- The attack has renewed concerns about synagogue safety in New York City, with officials pledging extra patrols and community leaders condemning the violence.