A 52-year-old Hasidic man was attacked while walking to synagogue on Shabbos morning in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The attack happened at around 8:40 a.m. near Bedford Avenue and Heyward Street, in an area home to a large Hasidic community. Surveillance video shows the suspect pouring an unidentified liquid on the man before a physical confrontation begins. The victim fought back with punches and kicks until bystanders and Williamsburg Shomrim volunteers stepped in and held the suspect on the ground.

NYPD officers from the 90th Precinct arrested the suspect and are investigating the unprovoked attack as a possible hate crime. The victim was treated by Hatzolah and taken to a hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition, though accounts of how badly he was hurt differ. The liquid has not been identified, and the suspect is presumed innocent until the case goes through the courts. Many questions remain, including what the substance was, why the man was targeted, and what charges the suspect will face.