A gang of local thugs attacked a 12-year-old member of the Jewish community in Crown Heights, Brooklyn Friday night as he made his way home following Shabbat prayers.
The attack took place on Eastern Parkway, just across the street from the iconic 770 building, the headquarters of the Chabad movement.
As he made his way home, the victim was suddenly assaulted by a group of seven or eight African-American youths, with no apparent provocation.
The boy’s father said he spotted the assailants moments before they attacked, and was able to avoid serious injury.
“My son said that he understood something was going to happen and as he was thinking what he should do, they suddenly pounced with one of them slapping him so hard that he fell to the ground, while a second one hitting him in the head,” the boy’s father told Crown Heights Info.
“Thankfully my son had taken some self-defense courses and knew to protect his head and cover-up.”
The boy’s family reported the incident to local police, who are now investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.
“What’s disturbing is that this occurred on Eastern Parkway, with many extra cops out, extra flood lights, lots of foot traffic, and all that didn’t deter these kids,” the boy’s father said Sunday after speaking with community organizers and local police about the attack.