16-year-old arrested in connection to brutal group attack on Jewish man in Queens

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Saturday, March 25, 2023
ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream

FLUSHING, Queens (WABC) -- A 16-year-old is the first suspect arrested in connection to a group attack on a Jewish man in Queens last month.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the arrest on Friday, coming more than a month after a 48-year-old Jewish man was brutally beaten by a group of attackers near the World's Fair grounds at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on February 19.

The 16-year-old suspect was charged with 17 counts related to assault, robbery and a hate crime.

"We respect the diversity of our Borough and affronts to that, especially violent ones, will not be tolerated," Katz said. "The defendant is being charged with not only the robbery, but for the assault as a hate crime for this cowardly alleged antisemitic attack."

RELATED | Anti-Defamation League reports 39% spike in antisemitic incidents in New York in 2022

There was a 39% increase in antisemitic Incidents in New York from 2021 to 2022.

The suspect is the first arrest in the case.

The victim, Sam Levy, was ambushed around 8:25 p.m. on his nightly walk along the roundabout in Flushing Meadows Corona Park where he was robbed and beaten.

The attackers then began yelling antisemitic slurs at him. Levy believes the muggers realized he was Jewish when they saw his name on his ID.

The NYPD is investigating an attack as a possible hate crime after a man was ambushed and robbed at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. Josh Einiger has the story.

The five other suspects have not yet been arrested.

----------

* More Queens news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.

Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.