NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Police are searching for three teen girls in a string of suspected anti-Jewish attacks in which children as young as 9 and 3 years old were slapped as they walked down streets in Brooklyn.
The NYPD released images of the suspects Tuesday in what police described as a three-incident harassment pattern in Bedford-Stuyvesant last Friday and Sunday.
All of the victims were wearing traditional Jewish attire, and the NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.
In the first incident, two boys, ages 12 and 3, were walking home near 254 Skillman St. around 6 p.m. Friday when one of the teen suspects slapped the 3-year-old in the face, police said. The 12-year-old was not struck.
Two more incidents were reported just minutes apart on Sunday evening.
An 18-year-old woman and a 7-year-old girl were walking to a store around 5:35 p.m. when they encountered the suspects near 527 DeKalb Ave., police said. The 18-year-old was grabbed by her jacket and pulled to the ground by one of the suspects, according to police.
Five minutes later, a 9-year-old boy was walking near 282 Skillman St. when he was approached from behind by the suspects and slapped on the head multiple times, police said.
All of the victims refused medical attention, according to police.
The Anti-Defamation League offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the attacks.
"We are outraged by this string of attacks targeting Jewish children and youth," said ADL NY/NJ regional director Scott Richman in a statement Tuesday.
"Two of the three incidents occurred on the first night of Chanukah, which should be a time of celebration, not fear and trauma for our young people," Richman continued. "ADL is offering this award to send a clear message that hate-motivated violence is absolutely unacceptable."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
