An Orthodox Jewish man was stabbed in an apparent antisemitic attack in Lakewood, New Jersey on Friday.
The alleged assailant assaulted a man, stole his car and ran him over with it, stabbed a man in the chest, and finally ran over a third person.
All three victims were Orthodox Jews.
The stabbing victim was hospitalized in critical but stable condition at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
The attacker has been arrested and charged with three counts of bias intimidation, three counts of attempted murder, carjacking, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.
New Jersey Governor. Phil Murphy praised police and law enforcement officials for arresting the attacker.
"Tammy and I pray for the full recovery of all victims," tweeted Murphy. "The safety of our communities, and notably our communities of faith, is not only a paramount concern but among my highest priorities. We will continue to partner with all who share this commitment so no resident ever needs to live in fear."
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) responded to the attack by stating that it "is saddened and outraged by a series of attacks that occurred in Lakewood and Jackson, NJ on Friday, April 8, which culminated in the stabbing of an Orthodox Jewish man, and appreciates law enforcement’s quick apprehension of the suspect.
After a series of attempted carjackings, the suspect is alleged to have carjacked a vehicle and hit one person with the car. He then hit another person and got out of the car to stab the victim, who was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition. The suspect was arrested last night and is said to have made antisemitic remarks upon arrest. This incident is being investigated by the Lakewood PD, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and the FBI."
“We are grateful to federal and local law enforcement for their swift response in apprehending the suspect and bringing charges that include bias intimidation,” said Scott Richman, ADL NY/NJ Regional Director. “I am personally horrified at the cruelty with which the suspect allegedly conducted himself. More needs to be done proactively to prevent violence against the Jewish community, and in particular visibly identifiable Jews in Ocean County and across our region. We recommit ourselves and our organization to working with government, educational institutions, interfaith and intergroup partners and law enforcement in order to achieve this goal. Jews should not be afraid to freely go about their business without living in fear that they will be targeted for violence. The past few years have seen far too many assaults against Jews.”
