Manhattan synagogue attack leaves worshippers injured, suspect arrested on hate crime charges
A man entered Central Synagogue during Shabbat services, assaulted a congregant and a security guard, and was taken into custody by NYPD officers.
During a Friday night Shabbat service at Central Synagogue in Manhattan, Larry Montes, 46, entered the sanctuary and behaved disorderly, according to police. He allegedly punched a 63-year-old congregant in the face, head-butted and spat at a security guard, and broke two religious candles worth $20,000. An NYPD sergeant assigned to the house of worship intervened and placed Montes under arrest, charging him with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the victims were evaluated on site and are doing well, and that additional police resources have been deployed. Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Attorney General Letitia James all condemned the incident and affirmed the right of Jewish New Yorkers to worship without fear.
Why it matters
The attack highlights rising antisemitic violence and prompts heightened security for places of worship.
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