Five people were stabbed Saturday night at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, New York, and a suspect was later arrested in New York City, police said.
Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel said a man armed with a blade attacked around 10 p.m., on the seventh night of Hanukkah. The attacker was arrested by the NYPD nearly two hours later in Harlem, NBC New York reported. Monsey is about 35 miles from New York City.
Wiedel said the victims were taken to two hospitals in the area. Their conditions were not released.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said state police also were assisting.
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“I am directing the State Police hate crimes task force to immediately investigate and to use every tool available to hold the attacker accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” he said in a statement.
Ed Day, the executive of Rockland County, where the attacks occurred, tweeted that he had confidence local law enforcement would find whoever did it.
“Law enforcement in Rockland will leave no stone un-turned as they bring those guilty of this crime to swift and severe justice,” he said.
Letitia James, the attorney general of the state of New York, tweeted late Saturday that she was “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,” she said. “I stand with the Jewish community tonight and every night.”
The violence comes after at least eight attacks this month on Jews in New York City.
The New York Police Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau tweeted that it was keeping an eye on the situation.
New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer tweeted that the attack was “heartbreaking and horrifying.”
“Being Jewish should not mean living in fear,” he said. “We must redouble our efforts to keep our community safe in the face of rising anti-Semitism.”
Michelle Acevedo and Austin Mullen contributed.
