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Intruder in Monsey Screamed ‘I’ll Get You’ in Machete Attack on Jews Intruder in Monsey Screamed ‘I’ll Get You’ in Machete Attack on Jews
(32 minutes later)
MONSEY, N.Y. — When he was caught, the intruder was still covered in the blood of his victims — five Hasidic Jews he had stabbed wildly with a machete at a rabbi’s home while candles on the Hanukkah menorah still burned.MONSEY, N.Y. — When he was caught, the intruder was still covered in the blood of his victims — five Hasidic Jews he had stabbed wildly with a machete at a rabbi’s home while candles on the Hanukkah menorah still burned.
But the toll might have been worse had those assembled not fought back, hitting the intruder with pieces of furniture, forcing him to retreat.But the toll might have been worse had those assembled not fought back, hitting the intruder with pieces of furniture, forcing him to retreat.
He had concealed his face with a scarf when he burst into the home in this Hasidic community in the New York suburbs at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, the police and witnesses said.He had concealed his face with a scarf when he burst into the home in this Hasidic community in the New York suburbs at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, the police and witnesses said.
“At the beginning, he started wielding his machete back and forth, trying to hit everyone around,” said Josef Gluck, 32, who was at the home of the Hasidic rabbi, Chaim Rottenberg, for the celebration of the seventh night of Hanukkah.“At the beginning, he started wielding his machete back and forth, trying to hit everyone around,” said Josef Gluck, 32, who was at the home of the Hasidic rabbi, Chaim Rottenberg, for the celebration of the seventh night of Hanukkah.
Mr. Gluck said the assailant screamed at him, “Hey you, I’ll get you” during the attack.Mr. Gluck said the assailant screamed at him, “Hey you, I’ll get you” during the attack.
In terror, people fled the living room. Mr. Gluck recalled dashing into the kitchen, scooping up a small child and then going down a back porch. Mr. Gluck returned, saw an older victim bleeding heavily and then tried to confront the attacker.In terror, people fled the living room. Mr. Gluck recalled dashing into the kitchen, scooping up a small child and then going down a back porch. Mr. Gluck returned, saw an older victim bleeding heavily and then tried to confront the attacker.
“I grabbed an old antique coffee table and I threw it at his face,” Mr. Gluck said.“I grabbed an old antique coffee table and I threw it at his face,” Mr. Gluck said.
The suspect, Grafton Thomas, 38, was later arrested in Harlem after police traced his license plate.The suspect, Grafton Thomas, 38, was later arrested in Harlem after police traced his license plate.
The police have not disclosed a motive, and much about Mr. Thomas remained a mystery on Sunday. But Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo referred to the rampage as an “act of domestic terrorism.” The police have not disclosed a motive, and much about Mr. Thomas remained a mystery on Sunday, including why he chose the rabbi’s house. But Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo referred to the rampage as an “act of domestic terrorism.”
Late on Sunday afternoon, two family friends of Mr. Thomas said he had struggled with mental illness, and they insisted that was at the root of the attack.
The violence further traumatized the Jewish community in the New York region, coming after a string of anti-Semitic incidents in recent weeks. It occurred less than a month after an anti-Semitic mass shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, N.J., left three people dead, including two Hasidic Jews.The violence further traumatized the Jewish community in the New York region, coming after a string of anti-Semitic incidents in recent weeks. It occurred less than a month after an anti-Semitic mass shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, N.J., left three people dead, including two Hasidic Jews.
The New York Police Department had already said on Friday that it was stepping up patrols in Jewish neighborhoods after a series of assaults against Jews last week. The New York Police Department had already said on Friday that it was stepping up patrols in Jewish neighborhoods after a series of anti-Semitic incidents last week.
The five victims of Saturday’s attack were taken to the hospital and by Sunday afternoon, one remained there with a skull fracture, officials said. The five victims of Saturday’s attack were taken to the hospital and four of them were treated and released. By Sunday afternoon, one remained there with a skull fracture, officials said.
On Sunday, members of the Hasidic community said they took some solace in how people at the Hanukkah party did whatever they could to repel the attacker, with some throwing furniture at him. That person, according to Abe Rosenberg, captain of Hatzalah E.M.S., the local emergency response service, is elderly and recently underwent heart surgery. “We are praying for him. But a person this age with critical medical condition, anything can go bad,” he said.
On Sunday, members of the Hasidic community said they took some solace in the way people at the Hanukkah party did whatever they could to repel the attacker, with some throwing furniture at him.
“People inside fought to stop him,” said Rabbi Yisroel Kahan, who is friends with Rabbi Rottenberg and said he spoke to those who were in the home. “It was very heroic of them. They didn’t just let this happen — they tried to defend themselves.”“People inside fought to stop him,” said Rabbi Yisroel Kahan, who is friends with Rabbi Rottenberg and said he spoke to those who were in the home. “It was very heroic of them. They didn’t just let this happen — they tried to defend themselves.”
After Mr. Thomas left the rabbi’s home, he tried to enter a synagogue next door, Congregation Netzach Yisroel, which is led by the rabbi. After Mr. Thomas left the rabbi’s home, he tried to enter a synagogue next door, Congregation Netzach Yisroel, which is led by the rabbi, witnesses said.
But people inside had heard the commotion and locked the door, so he left in a car.But people inside had heard the commotion and locked the door, so he left in a car.
The Police Department officers who confronted and detained Mr. Thomas in Harlem on Saturday night found him covered with blood, officials said. The smell of bleach, possibly used to clean up the blood, wafted from his car.The Police Department officers who confronted and detained Mr. Thomas in Harlem on Saturday night found him covered with blood, officials said. The smell of bleach, possibly used to clean up the blood, wafted from his car.
The police then turned him over to the authorities in Rockland County, which is northwest of New York City and where the attack took place. Harlem is about 30 miles from Monsey.The police then turned him over to the authorities in Rockland County, which is northwest of New York City and where the attack took place. Harlem is about 30 miles from Monsey.
Rockland County has one of the largest concentrations of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside of Israel.Rockland County has one of the largest concentrations of ultra-Orthodox Jews outside of Israel.
Mr. Thomas, who prosecutors said they believed acted alone, is facing five counts of attempted murder and one count of first degree burglary.Mr. Thomas, who prosecutors said they believed acted alone, is facing five counts of attempted murder and one count of first degree burglary.
At his arraignment on Sunday morning, Mr. Thomas, who was wearing a white prison suit, pleaded not guilty to all charges and offered no comment. At his arraignment on Sunday morning, Mr. Thomas, who was wearing a white prison suit, pleaded not guilty to all charges. Mr. Thomas, who is tall and often had to crouch down to speak to his attorney, appeared calm and mostly kept his head down during the arraignment.
Some neighbors said Mr. Thomas, who is from Greenwood Lake, N.Y., about 20 miles from Monsey, was an unassuming neighbor. Some neighbors said Mr. Thomas, who is from Greenwood Lake, N.Y., about 20 miles from Monsey, was an unassuming person who often played basketball at a local park and did not appear troubled.
Ron Griffith, 55, said he saw Mr. Thomas once or twice a week, walking down the street to a nearby convenience store and coming back with food. He saw him as recently as last week. He was always alone, but seemed friendly, often giving a smile or a curt greeting. “People are very surprised to find out that this individual is responsible for such horrific actions,” the mayor of Greenwood Lake, Jesse Dwyer, said. “There was no reason to believe that he was capable of doing anything like this.”
“A smile, a ‘hello.’ We never spoke,” he said. “He’d walk to town, go back home.” But on Sunday afternoon, a family friend, Taleea Collins, and Mr. Thomas’s pastor, the Rev. Wendy Paige, said that he had struggled with mental illness for two decades and had repeatedly sought help over the years. She had personally joined him at the hospital several times, Ms. Paige said.
The mayor of Greenwood Lake, Jesse Dwyer, said Mr. Thomas often played basketball at a local park and did not appear troubled. “Grafton is not a terrorist,” she told reporters outside of Mr. Thomas’s mother’s home, tears welling in her eyes. “He is a man who has mental illness in America, and the systems that be have not served him well.”
“People are very surprised to find out that this individual is responsible for such horrific actions,” he said. “There was no reason to believe that he was capable of doing anything like this.” She added: “He is not a violent person. He is a confused person.”
Mr. Cuomo said he had ordered the State Police hate crimes task force to investigate the stabbings.Mr. Cuomo said he had ordered the State Police hate crimes task force to investigate the stabbings.
“These are people who intend to create mass harm, mass violence,” he said at a news conference in Ramapo, the town that encompasses Monsey, after meeting with Rabbi Rottenberg. “Just because they don’t come from another country doesn’t mean that they are not terrorists.”“These are people who intend to create mass harm, mass violence,” he said at a news conference in Ramapo, the town that encompasses Monsey, after meeting with Rabbi Rottenberg. “Just because they don’t come from another country doesn’t mean that they are not terrorists.”
On Sunday, photos of the attack’s aftermath circulated on social media and in WhatsApp groups that showed blood smeared across the floor of the rabbi’s home and on the wooden stage where the Hanukkah ceremony had taken place. On Sunday, photos of the attack’s aftermath circulated on social media and in WhatsApp groups, showing blood smeared across the floor of the rabbi’s home and on the wooden stage where the Hanukkah ceremony had taken place.
Yossi Gestetner, a co-founder of the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council, a group that covers New York and New Jersey, said one of the victims was the rabbi’s son.Yossi Gestetner, a co-founder of the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council, a group that covers New York and New Jersey, said one of the victims was the rabbi’s son.
Rockland County, a collection of five towns northwest of New York City, has more than 300,000 people and 31 percent of the population is Jewish, according to the state. In recent years, the area’s ultra-Orthodox population has surged as Hasidic families from Queens and Brooklyn, priced out of their neighborhoods, have moved to the suburbs. Rockland County, a collection of five towns northwest of New York City, has more than 300,000 people, and 31 percent of the population is Jewish, according to the state. In recent years, the area’s ultra-Orthodox population has surged as Hasidic families from Queens and Brooklyn, priced out of their neighborhoods, have moved to the suburbs.
Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.