Police investigate if Williamsburg ambush was a hate crime
By: News 12 Staff May 8, 2019, 11:51pm Updated on: May 8, 2019
Police are looking into whether the ambush attack of a man in Williamsburg was related to the victim's religion.
Video obtained by the Williamsburg News shows a man walking down Rodney Street toward Marcy Avenue, when a young man runs up from behind and swings at him, nearly knocking him to the ground. The suspect then immediately turns around and runs from the scene.
Police say the attack occurred around 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. It is now being investigated by the Hate Crimes Task Force.
The incident comes just a few days after a similar attack a half-mile away in which a man claimed he was punched in the face for being Jewish. That case is also being investigated by the Hate Crimes Task Force.