Man attempts to mow down pedestrians outside of Jewish school in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN - A driver is facing numerous hate crime charges after allegedly attempting to mow down a group of students and rabbis near a school in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Police say 58-year-old Asghar Ali slammed the brakes of his car, turned it around, and then barreled toward pedestrians outside the Mesivta Nachlas Yakov School in Canarsie.
FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomasetti reported Thursday morning that track marks are still visible where he dramatically turned his car towards pedestrians.
Video shows the moment he hops over the curb and accelerates down the sidewalk.
According to the Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol, Ali was driving a White Ford sedan on Glenwood Road, and turned East on 55th Street before redirecting towards the men.
Witnesses on the scene said that he was yelling antisemitic slurs, including, "I'm going to kill all the Jews," during the rampage.
Ali tried to drive away from the scene of the attack but was quickly tracked down by community members and police and was taken into custody.
Police said no one was injured in the attack.
The NYPD says none of Ali's intended targets were hurt, listing 5 victims in the attack, including three 18-year-old men, a 41-year-old man, and a 44-year-old man.
Man attempts to mow down pedestrians outside of Jewish school in Brooklyn
Police sources say Ali is a Pakistani immigrant cab driver with a history of mental illness with four prior arrests, including one dating back to 1998.
Statement from Council member Farah N. Louis:
"Asghar Ali's attempt to mow down students outside the Mesivta Nachlas Yakov School in Canarsie is reprehensible and will not be tolerated. No group or community should live in fear of violence, discrimination, or intimidation. We must address the rising trend of antisemitism to prevent such hateful acts in the future."
Man attempts to mow down pedestrians outside of Jewish school in Brooklyn
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force took the driver in for questioning Wednesday night, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Post reports that the police do not believe this attack was terror related and was likely an isolated incident.
Ali faces more than a dozen charges including attempted murder, attempted assault, menacing, reckless driving as a hate crime.