New York Governor Visits 770 Eastern Parkway Following Vehicle Ramming Incident

New York Governor Kathy Hochul made a visit today to 770 Eastern Parkway, the world headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, following last week’s vehicle ramming incident that caused damage to the building and drew national attention.

The visit followed an attack in which a vehicle drove into the ramp entrance of the main shul at 770, damaging doors and the surrounding structure. The incident occurred during a time when large numbers of people were present in the building following a Farbrengen. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Governor Hochul toured the site of the damage and met with members of the Crown Heights community during her visit. The visit was led by Rabbi Yaacov Behrman and included elected community representatives and activists.

As previously reported, the incident took place when a vehicle entered the driveway at 770 Eastern Parkway and rammed into the rear doors of the building repeatedly. Video footage of the incident showed the vehicle striking the structure multiple times before the driver exited the vehicle and was apprehended by police.

The suspect was later identified as Dan Sohail and was formally charged with multiple offenses, including attempted first-degree assault as a hate crime and criminal mischief as a hate crime. A judge set bail at $500,000 cash or $750,000 bond during arraignment proceedings.

The incident prompted a significant response from local community organizations, including Shomrim and NYPD, who secured the area and assisted in the immediate aftermath. Repairs to the damaged portion of the building are ongoing.

The Governor’s visit underscored the significance of the incident and followed expressions of concern from public officials and community leaders in the days after the attack.

Photo Credit: Shmuel Betzalel Dahan