Tourist Becomes Victim In Possible Knockout Attack In Borough Park

A thug ran up to a 65-year-old man, knocked him over and smashed his face into the pavement in an early morning assault on Tuesday that at least one local leader says is the latest incident of anti-Semitic knockout attacks in the area.

The victim was an Orthodox Jew visiting the neighborhood from London for a wedding reception near McDonald Avenue and 18th Avenue. It occurred as the man left the reception at 2:30 a.m., and the victim suffered a split lip and chipped tooth.

The suspect was still at large as of Tuesday afternoon.

Councilman David Greenfield told the Daily News that it appears to be a new twist on the “knockout game” assaults that plagued the neighborhood – and specifically Orthodox Jewish residents – in November and December.

He told the paper:

“It is shocking and disturbing to hear about yet another apparent anti-Semitic assault in our community, especially after so many similar incidents over the past months,” City Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) said in a statement.

“Simply put, there is no place for this type of heinous behavior in our city, as nobody should be afraid to walk the streets of their community at any time of day or night.”

Police said the assault didn’t appear to be connected to previous attacks, which included the assault of a 78-year-old Midwood woman, and a Jewish man who was assaulted a few blocks away from the latest incident. Police have made arrests in those incidents.