Woman Punched at Manhattan Synagogue Shabbat Service in Suspected Hate Crime
Larry Montes, a 46-year-old resident of the Bronx, faces multiple charges including assault and criminal mischief as hate crimes following an unruly disruption at a Friday night Shabbat service inside Manhattan’s Central Synagogue, according to the New York City Police Department.
An Interrupted Worship Service and Confrontation at Central Synagogue
The disturbance unfolded inside the sanctuary on Friday. According to statements released by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspect breached the worship service and began creating a chaotic scene. As synagogue security personnel moved to escort the individual off the premises, the situation escalated violently.
Law enforcement accounts note that the suspect struck a member of the congregation—specifically a 63-year-old woman who sustained a punch to the face. The victim is expected to recover from her injuries. During the physical struggle with the venue’s security team, the assailant spat at and headbutted a security officer while simultaneously causing physical damage to synagogue property.
The chaotic aftermath was captured on video via the Citizen App, broadcasting the tense moments as police officers subsequently took the suspect into custody and escorted him out of the building in handcuffs.
Official Responses and Hate Crime Investigation
By late Friday evening, Commissioner Tisch identified the detained individual as Larry Montes and confirmed the formal filing of charges. Montes was booked on multiple counts, specifically including two counts of assault charged as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief charged as a hate crime.
Commissioner Tisch addressed the gravity of the event on social media late Friday. “What happened there tonight is deeply painful,“ Tisch wrote, emphasizing a core tenet of civic safety: “A place of worship should never be a crime scene.“
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also issued an immediate public statement condemning the hostility directed at the congregation. “This despicable act has no place in our city, and our administration will do everything in our power to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe,“ Mamdani stated.