A Staten Island man was caught on surveillance footage attacking a 62-year-old in the middle of a Brooklyn street Sunday morning.
Police said Farrukh Afzal, 37, was charged with assault as a hate crime, criminal mischief and harassment after a 911 call drew officers to the intersection of 46th Street and 13th Avenue in Borough Park.
Video obtained by NBC showed the suspect punching and shoving a man to the ground. The victim was identified by Assemb. Dov Hikind on Facebook as Lipa Schwartz, an Orthodox Jewish man who was walking to a local synagogue at the time of the attack.
“This was a hate crime, absolutely, despite any reports to the contrary,” Hikind said at a news conference at the scene. “Mr. Schwartz was walking, on his way to say his prayers, when the attacker pulled up in a car, sprang from the vehicle, charged Mr. Schwartz and began to beat him.”
Schwartz was taken to Maimonides Medical Center where he was treated for minor cuts and bruises to his face and lip, police said.
According to Hikind, Schwartz said his attacker spoke a language he did not know, but he heard cries of “Israel” and “Allah, Allah!”
The suspect can also be seen on camera chasing a second victim who tried to intervene.
Police could not immediately confirm details leading to the attack.
