Rockland County police searching for white Ford F-150 truck in connection to recent attacks on Hasidic Jews
MONSEY, N.Y. -- Rockland County investigators are searching for the person or people responsible for assaulting three Hasidic Jews last weekend.
As CBS2's Alecia Reid reported Tuesday, the incidents are being considered potential hate crimes.
Rockland police are searching for a white Ford F150 pickup truck.
"There's cause for concern," said Harvey Heilbromn of West Nyack.
In three separate incidents early Sunday morning, police say someone inside the suspect vehicle fired a BB gun and threw eggs at people walking on the street.
"Along the avenue of Route 306, which is also part of Main Street, as well as West Maple Avenue," Ramapo Police Det. Lt. Chris Franklin said.
It all happened within a half-mile radius. All three victims were Hasidic, police said.
"The injuries don't seem to be major at all, but the fact that objects, projectiles are being thrown at members of the community, specifically Jewish members, is alarming," said Ari Rosenblum, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County.
Investigating the incidents as a potential hate crime, police have increased patrols in the area.
"We as a police department take this very seriously and plan on using resources to stop this," Franklin said.
Rosenblum said physical security is of great concern, as this isn't the first time members from his community have felt threatened.
"One of my staff a few weeks ago, walking home from synagogue, an SUV pulled up, yelled obscenities, then moved on," Rosenblum said.
Police have been following up on leads in Sunday's incidents and have information that could lead them to a suspect, but due to recent incidents, not everyone is sticking around.
"I know someone who's moving to Chappaqua just to escape this," Heilbromn said.
While police continue to investigate these incidents, the Jewish Federation of Rockland County will be announcing a major long-term security initiative in coming weeks.
