5TownsCentral news received a report of a disturbing incident that took place in Far Rockaway on Sunday November 27th involving a male with a machete hanging from his belt.
The man allegedly approached some Yeshiva students around the Roosevelt/Beach 9th area and demanded to know “Where is the nearest synagogue?”. 911 was called and the NYPD immediately arrived on the scene.
A Twitter user posted a video, stating he was also asked by the man “do you know who the synagogue of Satan is in the Bible”, a reference often using by followers of antisemite Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam cult group.
@NYPD101Pct & @RockawayNassau are currently in pursuit of a machete-yielding deranged man searching for a "local Synagogue". pic.twitter.com/fGDUis9Swn
— 5TownsCentral (@5TownsCentral) November 27, 2022
The suspect entered a building within the Wavecrest Gardens complex before the NYPD was able to move in on him. The NYPD’s 101 Detective Squad is following up with this case, investigating this as a possible hate crime.
Anyone with information is asked to immediately call 911 and the Rockaway Nassau Safety Patrol 24/7 Hotline, 516-858-7300.