A for-hire vehicle (FHV) driver is facing numerous hate crime charges after allegedly attempting to mow down a group of students and rabbis near a school in Brooklyn in late May. Police say 58-year-old Asghar Ali slammed the brakes of his car, turned it around, and barreled toward pedestrians outside the Mesivta Nachlas Yakov School in Canarsie.
FOX 5 NY’s Briella Tomasetti reported track marks were still visible where he dramatically turned his car towards pedestrians days later. A video shows the moment he hops over the curb and accelerates down the sidewalk.
According to the Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol, Ali was driving a White Ford sedan on Glenwood Road, and turned East on 55th Street before redirecting towards the men. Witnesses on the scene said that he was yelling antisemitic slurs, including, “I’m going to kill all the Jews,” during the rampage.
Ali tried to drive away from the scene of the attack but was quickly tracked down by community members and police and was taken into custody. Police said none of Ali’s intended targets were hurt, listing five victims in the attack – including three 18-year-old men, a 41-year-old man, and a 44-year-old man.
Police sources say Ali has a history of mental illness, with four prior arrests, including one dating back to 1998.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force took the driver in for questioning, and the investigation remains ongoing. The Post reported that the police do not believe the attack was terror related and was likely an isolated incident. Ali faces more than a dozen charges – including attempted murder, attempted assault, menacing, and reckless driving as a hate crime.
Source: Fox 5 New York
