Monsey NY stabbing: Five people injured, 2 critically, at Rabbi’s home, suspect in custody

The home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg is still an active crime scene.

A suspect is in custody in what appeared to be a machete attack on five people in a Monsey rabbi’s home late Saturday night, the Ramapo Police Department said in a Facebook post. The attack took place during a party celebrating the 7th night of Hanukkah, witnesses and Jewish media reported.The attack took place during a Hanukkah party, witnesses and Jewish media reported.

The site of the attack is the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, the Kossoner Rebbe of Monsey who heads Congregation Netzach Yisroel next door to his home.

Initial reports were of 3 people stabbed and a video posted by Monsey News on Twitter shows a massive response on Forshay Road, with paramedics rushing stretchers to ambulances.

3 people reported stabbed just before 10 pm Saturday near synagogue on Forshay Road in Monsey. Police requesting county aviation to launch for lights and search and requesting all K9s in county available to respond.

— Steve Lieberman (@LoHudLegal) December 29, 2019

After the large scale response, police announced they did have a suspect in custody.

It’s currently an active crime scene, and Ramapo police haven’t issued an official statement, as of midnight local time.

Forshay Road is a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.

There’s no official word on how many people were stabbed, their conditions or the motive.

Atweet from OJPAC Hudson Valley said “2 of the victims of the attack were taken into the hospital as critical.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the New York State Police hate crimes task force to investigate the Monsey attack.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James said Saturday night via Twitter: “I am deeply disturbed by the situation unfolding in Monsey, New York tonight. There is zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind and we will continue to monitor this horrific situation. I stand with the Jewish community tonight and every night.”