Driver Claims ‘It Slipped’ After Striking NYC Jewish Site, Hate Crime Investigation Underway [WATCH]

A driver was taken into custody Wednesday night after police said the individual intentionally rammed a vehicle multiple times into the doors of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York City, prompting a hate crime investigation and a federal civil rights probe, as reported by Fox News.

According to the New York City Police Department, the vehicle struck the entrance doors of the Jewish institution repeatedly before officers detained the driver.

Authorities said there were no apparent injuries reported as a result of the incident.

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Jessica Tisch, the NYPD commissioner, said the crash is being investigated as a hate crime. Police did not immediately release the identity of the suspect or provide details on potential charges.

NYPD officials said the department’s bomb squad inspected the vehicle as a precaution. No explosives were found.

Investigators said the driver shouted to bystanders that “it slipped” and told officers something about attempting to park, statements police are continuing to review as part of the investigation.

A spokesperson for Chabad Lubavitch, Motti Seligson, confirmed that no one inside the building was injured during the incident.

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The headquarters, located at 770 Eastern Parkway in the Crown Heights neighborhood, is a significant religious and historical site for the global Jewish community.

Federal authorities also moved quickly to respond. The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.

“I have instructed our criminal prosecutors in @CivilRights to open a civil rights investigation into this violent attack,” said Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, in a post on X.

I have instructed our criminal prosecutors in @CivilRights to open a civil rights investigation into this violent attack. https://t.co/3zcqLHwBsB

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 29, 2026

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the scene following the incident and described the crash as “deeply alarming.”

“I am at 770 Chabad World Headquarters in Crown Heights, where a man intentionally and repeatedly crashed his car into the building. I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident,” Mamdani wrote on X.

“This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world,” he continued.

“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 added, “I stand in solidarity with the Crown Heights Jewish community, and I am grateful to our first responders for taking swift action. I will keep New Yorkers updated as we learn more about the incident.”

I am at 770 Chabad World Headquarters in Crown Heights, where a man intentionally, and repeatedly, crashed his car into the building. I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident.

This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the…

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 29, 2026

The investigation remains ongoing as city and federal authorities work to determine the motive behind the attack and whether additional charges will be filed.

NYPD officials said they are coordinating closely with federal partners as the hate crime and civil rights investigations proceed.

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