Five people got severely wounded at Rabbi’s home in New York suburb during Hanukkah
It was a tragic Hanukkah at Rabbi’s house in Monsey in what New York’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo, is calling it an “act of domestic terror”. An attacker with a large knife barged into the house and severely wounded multiple people by stabbing them during the religious celebration on Saturday Night.
According to the Police officials and a witness, it was a terrifying scene. The violence happened around 10:00 PM as numerous people were just gathering together to light the candles for Hanukkah. Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg was holding a religious celebration in his house in Monsey, which is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Ramapo and comprises of a large population of ultra-Orthodox Jews.
As per The New York Times, the attacker identified as Thomas Grafton, 37, was arrested by the New York City police department around 2 hours later in the Harlem section of Manhattan. The suspect is a resident of Greenwood Lake, near Monsey. He is facing charges of five counts of attempted murder and one count of first-degree burglary.
Picture: CNN
The council informed on Twitter that the people with stab wounds were taken to the local hospital. Two victims were still in the hospital as of Sunday morning- one victim is in critical condition with a skull fracture and he was stabbed multiple times.
New York Governor declaring the attack an “act of domestic terror” on Sunday morning, said that the attack would be treated the same as any other act of domestic terror, and described it as the intersection of “intolerance, ignorance, and illegality.”
New York’s Attorney General Letitia James too tweeted that she was “deeply disturbed by the situation unfolding in Monsey.” There is zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind and they will continue to monitor this horrific situation, she added.
I am deeply disturbed by the situation unfolding in Monsey, New York tonight.
There is zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind and we will continue to monitor this horrific situation.
I stand with the Jewish community tonight and every night.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) December 29, 2019
This act of violence amidst the news of suspected anti-Semitic acts that have rocked New York City. The Police commissioner Dermot Shea has said that there is an increase in the crimes in New York City by 22% this year. The Police Department has been investigating eight anti-Semitic crimes since December 13th.
Earlier on Saturday, 28th December a woman in New York City was charged with attempted assault as a hate crime because the woman slapped three Jewish women in the face in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighbourhood. Additionally, In November, an orthodox Jewish man was stabbed in the early morning when he was on his way for the morning prayer.