Hasidic Jews shot in Brooklyn
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.FOUR Hasidic Jews were wounded, two critically, when a gunman opened fire on their van from a passing car in Brooklyn, New York, yesterday. One witness said a man inside the car shouted in Arabic: 'Kill the Jews'.
It was not clear if the attack was premeditated and connected to last week's mosque massacre in Hebron, in Israel's West Bank. Baruch Goldstein, responsible for the Hebron massacre and who was later beaten to death by Arabs, was born in Brooklyn and emigrated to Israel 12 years ago.
The New York mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, said the attacking car had given three bursts of fire at the van carrying students. He said the van had been followed the day before, and the students had complained to the police. The mayor ruled out earlier police speculation that the shootings were triggered by a traffic accident.
The four wounded, all young students, had been visiting Rabbi Menachem Schneerson in hospital, where he was undergoing an eye operation. The rabbi is the spiritual leader of the Lubavitcher sect. The students were returning to their yeshiva in Brooklyn when the gunman opened fire at the foot of the Brooklyn bridge. One student, 23, was shot in the head and is in critical condition. A second, 18, was shot in the neck and was in an unstable condition. A third, 19, was shot in the hand. The fourth victim was said to be in a stable condition.
Mr Giuliani called for calm and telephoned Rabbi Schneerson and promised to increase security in Brooklyn, which has the highest concentration of devout Jews in the United States. Goldstein came from the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, a middle-class area with residents of Jewish and Italian descent.
Most Hasidim live in the working-class Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, scene of riots between blacks and Jews in the summer of 1991. A rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, was stabbed to death by a gang of black youths yelling 'Get the Jew'. The riots started when a car in a motorcade of Rabbi Schneerson accidentally hit and killed a black child.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments