Brooklyn man beaten, robbed in front of 5-year-old son in Crown Heights
NEW YORK -- Several men brutally beat and robbed a Brooklyn father in broad daylight. The man's 5-year-old son saw the attack from the back seat of their car.
There are a lot of questions about why the man was targeted, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported Friday.
Grainy surveillance video shows at least three people outside the driver's side of a car, followed by punches being thrown through the window.
"This is ridiculous. Right in my block," Linda Rollins said.
The victim sitting behind the wheel was Crown Heights community activist Yosef Hershkop, according to friends. His 5-year-old son was in the back seat.
"Their fists said it all. Their fists were antisemitic," said Hershkop's friend Geoffrey Davis. "Son is in the back seat of the car, frantic as any child would be seeing their father being assaulted."
Davis, a local anti-violence advocate, told us is started as a small fender bender in the neighborhood. Police said the group claimed the victim hit their car Wednesday afternoon. They allegedly demanded $100, which he gave them.
Davis said his friend thought it was over and drove away.
"They followed him, cut his car off, jumped out of their car and started wailing on him. They started beating on him for absolutely no reason whatsoever," Davis said.
The attack happened on Montgomery Street, right off Schenectady Avenue, investigators said.
Davis said Hershkop was treated for injuries, including a fractured jaw, at the hospital.
Hershkop declined an interview, but wrote on Twitter, "I really appreciate the outpouring of support and care. I am thank G-d back home."
"This is a quiet block. Nobody does anything like that to each other, unless they don't live in this area to do something like that. That's just pure evil and hatefulness," Rollins said.
Police said the crime is being investigated as a robbery. There was no word if it will be classified as a hate crime.
Friends said Hershkop runs a local urgent care and has helped countless people, especially during the pandemic. They hope police make an arrest quickly.