[Video below.] Brooklyn, NY – Police today were looking for a man who targeted the frum community in Brooklyn with a paint ball gun, in what is suspected to be a hate crime, CBS2 is reporting exclusively.
CBS2 obtained exclusive surveillance video of the incidents.
The problems started at 1:45 a.m. Monday, June 29, at the Bondo’s 24 supermarket at Lee Avenue and Rodney Street in Williamsburg, and surveillance cameras captured the scare.
A man is seen on the surveillance video wearing black and standing outside with a group. He suddenly flinches after hearing what he thought was a gunshot.
The men look up and realize a paintball hit the awning right above them.
“I was shocked that something like this could happen,” said supermarket owner Shlomo Bondo.
Bondo cleaned up the green paint from the building. But the impact was so strong that it left a dent, and took away a sense of security.
“People feel safe over here, and something like this happens, they start to think that they’re not safe anymore,” he said, adding that he “absolutely” worries about his own safety.
“Every time something happens, you have to worry about your safety,” Bondo said.
Police have offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Police said the perpetrators drove off in a dark car, and five minutes later, Chaim Klein, 62, got hit with a paintball. He was walking at Lee Avenue and Rutledge Street, seven blocks away from the supermarket.
Klein showed CBS2 the green paint that was still on his shirt Monday. It nearly hit him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.
The paintball attacks are especially alarming for area residents, considering that there were three similar incidents in the area in March.
Police said the incidents could be linked.
On Monday, green paint was also seen splattered across the sidewalk when a man and his two grandchildren got targeted walking home from synagogue.
People who live in the area want police to find whoever is behind the paintball attacks before someone gets seriously hurt.
{CB Frommer-Matzav.com Newscenter}
From Rodney to Rutledge Street, walking down Lee Avenue, is 6 blocks, not 7. Here goes: Williamsburg West, Williamsburg East, Hooper, Hewes, Penn, then Rutledge. None-the-less I hope they catch these trouble makers.