NYPD officers have arrested the ringleader of a gang of teens accused of violently attacking and robbing two Jewish boys on March 14 in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood.
A fourth arrest has been affected in the brutal assault that took place at Carroll and Albany on 3/13/23. This is the most significant arrest, as this is the perp that broke the victims nose. Great teamwork by Shomrim, and @NYPD71Pct Detectives and community affairs unit. #CHSafe pic.twitter.com/Jru4tbBwSE
— CH Shomrim (@ShomrimCH) May 3, 2023
The gang leader, age 14, was arrested Wednesday after being identified in surveillance footage of the attack.
In that footage, the 14-year-old thug is seen punching one of the boys in the face. He is the fourth perpetrator to be arrested in connection with the attack.
The detainees have been charged with attempted robbery and gang assault.
The first gang member to be arrested was a 16-year-old, who was taken into custody by police officers in the 77th Precinct. Police said he has at least six prior arrests.
The boys were attacked as they were walking on Albany Avenue near Crown Street at around 9:15 pm. The gang of six approached them from behind, police said.
The two boys heard their attackers say, “Get them,” before the thugs came up to the victims and demanded he empty his pockets, then punched him in the face. The boy fell to the ground from the force of the punch, police said. The boy’s friend was likewise ordered to empty his pockets and give the thugs his money, then was slapped in the face.
Passersby called the Hatzalah emergency response team; the medics took the boy to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for a broken nose and other broken bones in his face.
“We are relieved that this thug has been arrested and is off the streets for now,” Rabbi Chanina Sperlin, head of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, said in a statement quoted by COLlive.com.
“Thanks to Governor [Kathy] Hochul’s recently announced changes to the justice system, hopefully he will remain off the streets.”
COLlive.com contributed to this report.
