Police Name Suspect In Central Park Antisemitic Attack
An investigation into the Dec. 14 altercation is still ongoing
| 09 Jan 2023 | 10:30
The suspect has not yet been apprehended, according to police. Photo via the NYPD
Police identified Perin Jacobchuk, 32, as a suspect. Photo via the NYPD
On Thursday, Jan. 5, police named a suspect in an end-of-year antisemitic attack in Central Park. Perin Jacobchuk, 32, is wanted in connection with the incident being classified as assault and as a hate crime, according to an NYPD spokesperson. The investigation remains ongoing.
Near the intersection of East Drive and Terrace Drive, which feeds into East 72nd Street, the suspect allegedly struck his victim, a 63-year-old man, to the ground around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, according to a police report. The man had been walking through the park and sustained a chipped tooth and broken hand as a result of the attack.
Before leaving the scene, the perpetrator made antisemitic “remarks” to the man, according to the NYPD. Surveillance cameras captured photos and video footage of the suspected perpetrator after the incident, with a bicycle and trailer. Police reported that the suspect’s belongings appeared to include a sign that read “Hungry Disabled.”
Earlier last year, Upper East Side Council Member Julie Menin hosted a virtual town hall to address what was then a rising trend in hate crimes against the Jewish community. NYS Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright unveiled a mobile museum to teach tolerance in March.