Isharae Summers, 35, was charged with 13 counts, including four hate crimes, for allegedly punching an Orthodox Jewish man in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood and shouting antisemitic slurs on Jan. 9.
Among the charges are two hate crime assaults in the third degree with intent to injure, two counts of hate crime menacing in the third degree and six counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree motivated by race or religion.
Summers pleaded not guilty to all counts in Kings Criminal Court on Sunday and was released with non-monetary conditions on bail.
The incident reportedly occurred at about 11:20 p.m. on Friday while the man was walking home with his family. The suspect is accused of verbally harassed the family and screaming “I’m gonna kill you Jews” and “I’m gonna kill your kids and choke your kids” while trailing the family for several blacks. She also allegedly punched the man in the head and chest, according to New York Post reporting.
The Post reported that the judge let the suspect go on supervised release, although the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office sought $50,000 cash bail.
“This was a horrific attack against a Jewish family walking home on the Sabbath,” a spokesman for Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn district attorney, stated on Monday, per the Post.
“Every person in this city should be able to safely worship and this type of antisemitic violence cannot be tolerated in Brooklyn,” the spokesman said. “The defendant in this case is being charged with a hate crime and we will seek to hold her fully accountable.”
The New York City Police Department’s 79th Precinct and the Williamsburg Shomrim Shabbos Patrol reportedly responded to the scene. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is said to be investigating the case.
The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey stated it has “connected with community and law-enforcement partners to gather information and provide support,” calling the increase in violent attacks on Jews “unacceptable.”
