Chabad official speaks out after car-ramming of Jewish center, as NYPD probes motive

Chabad is speaking out about an incident in which a driver was taken into custody after allegedly repeatedly and intentionally ramming his vehicle into the Jewish organization’s headquarters in New York City on Wednesday. 

The man’s motive is still being investigated.

Motti Seligson, director of media at Chabad, told Fox News that Chabad has received an outpouring of support from elected officials since the car-ramming. The Chabad official said he had received a call from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., on Thursday morning. Additionally, he praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and New York Attorney General Letitia James for coming to the scene shortly after the incident.

DRIVER RAMS CAR REPEATEDLY INTO DOORS OF NYC JEWISH SITE, SUSPECT DETAINED

Seligson said Wednesday night in a post on X that a vehicle “crashed into the side entrance” of Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway.

“This individual, according to reports, has attempted to enter various Jewish institutions in NJ, including Chabad, but was rebuffed and in at least one incident the police were called,” Seligson later added in a separate post on X.

Video circulating online shows a vehicle being driven into the side entrance before it backs up and goes forward, hitting the doors another time.

Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters, also called “770” due to its address, is one of the most iconic Jewish buildings in the world, with replicas built in Israel, California, Italy and Australia. It functions not only as a synagogue but also as a place for gathering and learning. The building became the headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic movement in 1940.

The NYPD and Seligson have said that there were no apparent injuries related to the vehicle ramming incident.

The vehicle was inspected by the NYPD bomb squad, and no explosives were found. The driver shouted to bystanders that “it slipped” and said something to police about attempting to park.

RABBI ATTACKED ON NYC STREET ON INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

While the motive behind the car-ramming has not been determined, several officials, including Mamdani, have addressed described the incident as an antisemitic attack.

“This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world. Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable,” Mamdani wrote in a post on X. “I stand in solidarity with the Crown Heights Jewish community, and I am grateful to our first responders for taking swift action.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also suggested that the incident was antisemitic in a post on X, linking the car-ramming to an attack on a rabbi that occurred on Tuesday in New York City.

“For the second day in a row, Jewish New Yorkers were the targets of antisemitic violence. Thankfully, there appear to be no injuries — but an attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers,” Hochul wrote.

The car-ramming comes on the heels of a separate incident impacting New York City’s Jewish community earlier this week. 

On Tuesday, which was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a 32-year-old rabbi was allegedly approached by an individual who made antisemitic remarks in Queens. After a verbal dispute, the individual then punched the victim in the chest and face, according to police. The victim, who community leaders identified as a rabbi, was treated for minor injuries, while officers took the suspect into custody.

The suspect was later identified as Eric Zafra-Grosso. He is facing charges of hate crime assault, hate crime aggravated harassment and assault causing injury.

Fox News’ David Hammelburg and Maria Paronich contributed to this report.