Suspect faces murder charges after stabbing at rabbi’s home

NEW YORK, Dec 29 (APP): One person remained in critical condition Sunday after a knife-wielding attacker stabbed five people during a party to celebrate a Jewish festival in a rabbi’s home Saturday night, the latest in a string of assaults apparently targeting Jews in the region.

A suspect was taken into custody in New York City a short time after the attack, which took place in Monsey, about 30 miles north of here, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said.

Grafton Thomas, 37, the suspected attacker faces five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary. police said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called the attack an act of domestic terrorism and directed the State Police hate crimes task force to investigate.

He said the attack was at least the 13th incident of anti-Semitism in the state in the past few weeks.

The attack took place in the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, who heads Congregation Netzach Yisroel next door.

Two of the victims were taken to a nearby hospital and three were taken to a medical center in another location.

Cuomo, who said he visited with with the rabbi Sunday morning, said Rottenberg’s son was among those wounded and that another person was in critical condition with wounds to the head.

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