A Pakistani taxi driver in Brooklyn, USA, attempted to drive his vehicle into Jewish students outside a Jewish school, shouting threats such as “I will kill all Jews” during the terrifying ordeal.
The assailant, identified as Asghar Ali, a 58-year-old Pakistani immigrant working as a taxi driver, reportedly targeted Orthodox Jewish students outside the school premises.
According to the New York Post, police revealed that the suspect suffers from mental illness, shedding light on the possible motive behind the attack. Authorities are currently investigating the incident, with the New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force leading the probe into the attack fueled by prejudice.
Asghar Ali now faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, attempted assault, and hate crimes. However, initial investigations suggest that the attack may not have been driven by terrorism intentions. So far, there is no evidence linking the perpetrator to any extremist group.
At the time of the incident, Asghar Ali was driving along the 55th Street towards the vicinity of the Jewish school when he started maneuvering his vehicle towards Orthodox-dressed students. He specifically targeted two more students and a rabbi near the school premises, shouting, “I will kill all Jews,” as per police reports.
The victims remained unharmed, managing to flee into the building before any further harm could be inflicted upon them. Asghar Ali attempted to flee the scene initially, but he was swiftly apprehended by members of the Shomrim Safety Patrol. He has since been taken into custody and transferred to Coney Island Hospital for evaluation.