Crown Heights riot victim's brother objects to festival

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Twenty-five years ago, Norman Rosenbaum's brother Yankel was stabbed to death during the Crown Heights riots. A quarter century later, the community is set to observe the date with a ceremony and celebratory festival of the neighborhood. Rosenbaum thinks the effort is inappropriate.

The mayhem in 1991 was sparked by the death of Gavin Cato, a 7-year-old boy killed in a car crash. Rosenbaum, a yeshiva student, was killed in the 3 days of violence that followed.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is among the elected officials planning to attend the event Sunday. He says it was planned by leaders in the black and Jewish communities and is intended to show unity. He has offered an invitation to Rosenbaum.

Rosenbaum says he will not attend and that instead he is planning to meet with the Cato family.