4 Teens Charged With Antisemitic Hate Crimes in Rockland

By Hamodia Staff

Four teens have been arrested and charged with hate crimes for two antisemitic incidents that occurred on Shabbosim in Rockland County last month, the Ramapo Police Department’s Investigations Division announced Tuesday.

On Friday, April 19th, 2024, at approximately 9:00 p.m., a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old drove by several Jews walking on Cragmere Rd. in Ramapo. The passenger, also 17, shot an Orbeez water pellet gun, hitting one Jew victim but not injuring him. The two yelled antisemitic slurs as the car drove away. 

The following Friday night, at approximately 9:20 pm, the same driver was driving the same vehicle on Oxford Dr. in Montebello with three passengers, including the same 17-year-old passenger as the previous weekend as well as two 18-year-olds.

As they passed Jews walking in the street, one 18-year-old passenger threw trash at them. The trash struck one Jew in the leg, but didn’t injure him. According to a witness, all the vehicle’s occupants yelled antisemitic slurs as the car fled fled the scene at a high rate of speed.

Chaveirim Surveillance Team worked with Ramapo Police Department in identifying the vehicle based on  surveillance footage and license plate readers, and all four suspects were arrested during the past week.

For the first incident, the driver and the passenger were each charged with second-degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime (“A” misdemeanors).

For the second incident, Ramapo Detectives charged all four suspects with second-degree aggravated harassment (“A” misdemeanor), and the driver was also charged with second-degree reckless endangerment (“E” felony), all as hate crimes.

The suspects were processed at the Ramapo Police Department, and — as the crimes were not bail eligible — all were released with appearance tickets for a future court date.