A 49-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was assaulted early Wednesday morning in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, and the suspect has been arrested and charged with hate crime charges, NYPD officials told TOT.
Bentzion Friedman was on his way to the synagogue at 5:45 a.m., when a 46-year-old Christian Rojas approached him in front of 645 Lefferts Avenue, knocked the phone out of his hand and punched him in the face.
Mr. Friedman sustained minor injuries to his face and a bloody nose, police said.
NYPD responded to the scene and after canvassing in the area, they apprehended the suspect.
36-year-old Christian Rojas of Brooklyn is charged with assault as a hate crime, aggravated harassment as a hate crime and assault, police say.
While being arrested the suspect told police, “I’m tired and fed up of the Jews.”
The attack is not related to Tuesday night incident, where an Hatzalah member was slashed by a man, cops said.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force interviewed Rojas for several hours, later charging him with third-degree assault as a felony, aggravated assault as a hate crime, second-degree aggravated assault for making statements against one’s religion, and assault as a misdemeanor.
