A knife-wielding man stabbed an Israeli student in the head inside a synagogue at the Brooklyn headquarters of an international Jewish organisation, before being fatally shot by police after refusing to drop the knife, police said.
The man stormed the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in Crown Heights at about 1:40am yesterday and attacked Levi Rosenblat, who was studying inside the synagogue, spokesman Rabbi Motti Seligson said. He said there were other people inside at the time.
Rosenblat, 22, was in stable condition, officials said.
According to witnesses, the attacker was heard saying repeatedly "Kill the Jews," said Rabbi Chaim Landa, another spokesman for Chabad-Lubavitch. Several other people immediately intervened.
A witness flagged down a patrol officer, who confronted the 49-year-old man and told him to put the knife down.
He initially put it down, but picked it up again, police said. More officers responded and repeatedly ordered the man to drop the knife.
He refused and, with the knife in his hand, charged at one of the officers, who fired once, striking the man in the torso.
Police said no other officers discharged their weapons.
The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not immediately identified, but police said he was from New York City and had a criminal history. New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind condemned the attack.
"I'm told that the attacker came earlier that evening, too. He was stalking the scene. Thank God he didn't inflict more harm nor do more damage to more people," Hikind said.
A knife measuring 23cm was recovered at the scene, police said.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Student stabbed in head in synagogue attack
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