Group of Teens Commits 6 Assaults in Williamsburg

Six men were assaulted in Williamsburg early Monday morning, in separate attacks by a group of teenagers attempting robberies, according to Shomrim and the NYPD. Five of the victims were Jews on their way to shul; the other victim was Hispanic.

At 5:00 a.m. at the rear of 80 Ross Street,  a 71-year-old man was approached by three teenagers, who punched him in the face and searched his pockets. No property was stolen. Williamsburg Hatzolah took the victim to Bellevue Hospital with facial injuries.

At 5:30 a.m., at 91 Clymer Street, the teens approached a 67-year-old man, punched him in the face, and searched his pockets, saying, “Give me your money,” but did not remove any property. The victim refused medical attention.

Ten minutes later, at 626 Wythe Place, the teens punched a 56-year-old male in the face and searched his pockets, but did not obtain any property. Williamsburg Hatzolah took the man to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

In a similar incident, at Williamsburg Street and Kent Avenue, the teens also searched the pockets of a 60-year-old victim, but did not obtain any property. The man was not seriously harmed.

Details were not available for the other two assaults. The assailants did not get any property in any of the incidents.

The individuals are described as black male teens.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.

Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that police will be “adding additional personnel to patrol the area and keep things safe.”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement that he is “sickened by Monday’s series of assaults on Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg.”

“In New York, we have absolutely zero tolerance for such heinous acts,” said the governor. “They are completely unacceptable and are repugnant to our values of diversity and inclusion.”

Police and Shomrim are asking anyone with information on the perpetrators to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS or Shomrim at 718-237-0202.

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rborchardt@hamodia.com