NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 14-year-old boy is facing hate crime charges for spraying two Orthodox Jewish men in the face with a fire extinguisher and punching one of them in the face this month in Williamsburg, police said Monday.
The teen, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was charged with assault as a hate crime, assault and aggravated harassment for the attacks on Aug. 21.
The two men were walking separately to their synagogue for morning prayers when they were each approached by a group and attacked by the boy, according to police.
The teen is the only one from the group who has been arrested so far.
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One of the victims, a 72-year-old man, was sprayed in the face with a fire extinguisher on Lee Avenue and Taylor Street at around 6:05 a.m., police said, while minutes later, a 64-year-old man was sprayed then punched in the face at Roebling and Third streets.
The victims, who were both dressed in traditional Orthodox Jewish attire, were targeted because of their religion, according to NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell.
Sewell said that because of the crime and upcoming high holidays, extra police protection is warranted.
"We deployed a round-the-clock house of worship [police] cars to routinely visit synagogues," she said. "We increased patrol to visit sensitive locations."
The commissioner said the details will be finalized closer to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which begins the evening of Sept. 25.
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