Monday, August 17, 2026
Bronx Man Faces 14 charges for Attack at Central Synagogue Shabbat Service
Officers arrested Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, on Friday night and charged him with 14 charges, including six hate crimes, after he allegedly hit a 63-year-old woman and spat upon and heat-butted a 65-year-old security guard at Central Synagogue in Manhattan on Friday night, the New York City Police Department told JNS.
The incident took place shortly after 6 p.m. during Shabbat services, and officers were told that the suspect “began acting irate and disrupted a service,” the NYPD said.
“As security was escorting the male out, he struck a 63-year-old female, causing a small laceration and pain to her lip and right forearm,” the department told JNS. “Additionally, the male spit on and head butted a 65-year-old security guard.”
The department’s hate crime task force is investigating the incident, and the man was charged with four counts of hate crime assault, two counts of assault, criminal mischief as a hate crime, criminal mischief, disrupting a religious service, criminal trespass as a hate crime, two counts of aggravated harassment and two counts of harassment, the NYPD told JNS.
Central Synagogue, a Reform congregation, stated that it was grateful to the many who “have reached out in support after the disturbing events during services.”
“Tonight at Shabbat services, a disturbed man stormed our bimah,” or dais, and “knocked over our Shabbat candles, screamed obscenities and assaulted a congregant,” the synagogue said. “In the face of this antisemitic hate, our security director heroically restrained and escorted the man out.”
The synagogue added that the cantor and musicians “did not let this stop the music.”
“Our rabbis reignited the candles, helped us breathe and found the words to respond to the moment in real time,” it said. “Our congregation refused to let hate extinguish our Shabbat light.”
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