NYPD Hunts Suspect After Jewish Man Stabbed in Crown Heights in Possible Antisemitic Attack

A 35-year-old Jewish man was stabbed Tuesday afternoon in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in an incident the NYPD is investigating as a possible antisemitic attack. Police have released images of a suspect and are searching for the individual, who remains at large.

The stabbing occurred just after 4 p.m., one block from the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters, one of the most sensitive and symbolic centers of Jewish life in the neighborhood. Security in the area has been heightened in recent days following the deadly antisemitic shooting at a Chanukah event in Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

According to police, the incident began as a seemingly random verbal dispute between two men. The suspect walked away from the initial confrontation, and the victim followed him down the block. A second verbal argument then escalated into a physical altercation. Police said the suspect pulled out a sharp object and stabbed the victim in the chest. Despite his injuries, the victim continued to pursue the suspect across the street and down another block before the attacker fled the scene. The victim was transported to Kings County Hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released, officials said.

The NYPD is investigating that the suspect made antisemitic remarks during the attack. According to reports, the suspect used antisemitic curse language and stated that it would “be alright if the Holocaust happened today.” The case is being reviewed by the NYPD Hate Crimes Division as part of the ongoing investigation.

In the hours following the stabbing, police released surveillance images of the suspect and deployed dozens of additional officers throughout Crown Heights as the search continued. Authorities have confirmed that video footage is also being examined as part of the investigation.

Residents in the neighborhood said the attack has deepened a sense of fear and unease, particularly given recent events overseas. “We just had a huge tragedy in Bondi Beach and everybody in this neighborhood in particular is connected,” said Crown Heights resident and Chabad community member Krana Nebenzahl. “We are all one body, literally, figuratively and it's horrible.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemned the stabbing and said the city would not tolerate antisemitic violence. “Evil, hateful, antisemitic violence must come to an end,” Adams said. “We cannot let this hate persist in our city, and we will never back down. We are praying for this man and his family, and the NYPD Hate Crimes Division is investigating this incident as we speak.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Danny Danon, shared video of the incident on X and urged leaders to take stronger action against antisemitism. “Enough is enough,” Danon said. “Attacks on Jews for being Jewish are intolerable. Silence in the face of hate is an abomination.”