Man charged with hate crimes after ramming car into Chabad's world headquarters in Brooklyn
Conflicting reports about the suspect's motivations and mental health swirled on social media
A man was charged with several hate crimes on Thursday after repeatedly ramming his vehicle into the side entrances of the world headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, authorities said.
While there were conflicting reports about what drove, Dan Sohail, 36, to ram his car repeatedly into a set of doors at the Hasidic Jewish center on Wednesday night, police charged him with attempted assault as a hate crime.
“Earlier this month, Sohail attended a social gathering at this very same location,” New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news conference, noting there was video circulating online of that gathering.
Videos of the attack circulating on social media show the car striking the iconic building at 770 Eastern Parkway multiple times.
Witnesses told the Crown Heights Shomrim community patrol that the driver shouted for people to move as he steered the vehicle toward the structure.
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As a precaution, the synagogue complex was evacuated and nearby residents were advised to avoid the area while police secured the scene and searched for additional threats. Shomrim said it is working closely with the New York Police Department as the investigation continues.
The suspect was taken into custody at the scene. Footage posted online captured the moment of the arrest. Authorities have not yet disclosed a motive or indicated whether hate crime charges are being considered.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the site and condemned the incident, describing it as a “deliberate and repeated act.” In a statement, he said he was relieved no one was harmed and stressed the symbolic importance of the building to the Jewish community in New York and worldwide.
“Any attack targeting a Jewish institution or place of worship must be treated with the utmost seriousness,” Mamdani said, adding that antisemitism has “no place in our city.” He also thanked first responders and expressed solidarity with Crown Heights residents.
A spokesperson for the Chabad movement told i24NEWS U.S. correspondent Mike Wagenheim that the incident occurred as tens of thousands of visitors from around the world were arriving at 770 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s leadership.
The attack comes amid heightened concern over antisemitic incidents in New York City. A day earlier, a rabbi was assaulted on his way to a synagogue in Queens after a suspect allegedly hurled antisemitic slurs. The 32-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime, among other offenses, and faces up to four years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge.
According to NYPD data, antisemitic incidents have surged since October 7, 2023. Last month, Jews were the targets in nearly two-thirds of reported hate crimes citywide, underscoring what officials and community leaders describe as a deeply troubling trend.