Man enters New York Jewish school with hammer, injures child, NYPD investigates antisemitic motive

ByESTHER DAVISJULY 29, 2026 05:57A child was injured after a man armed with a hammer entered a Jewish school in New York on Tuesday morning, police reported.New York Police reported that the suspect approached a woman nearby. She felt threatened and headed to the school for safety; however, the man followed her in.The school's security stopped the suspect from entering the building. As the staff attempted to remove him from the property, he struggled, shoving a child, 8, into the fence, and causing a head injury.The student was taken to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.Police arrested the man, 42, at the scene and recovered the hammer from his possession; however, no one was struck with it.The New York City skyline and the Empire State Building, as wildfire smoke impacts air quality in New York City, US, July 17, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/EDUARDO MUNOZ)The NYPD does not believe that the student or the Jewish Institute of Queens were the intended target of the attack, and as such are not treating the incident as antisemitic."The NYPD is thoroughly investigating all aspects of the incident, including the possibility of a bias motive, to ensure nothing is overlooked," said City Councilmember Phil Wong.New York politicians respond to the attack"Violence against an 8-year-old child is unconscionable. I’m relieved the victim is recovering, and my heart is with them, their loved ones, and New York’s Jewish community," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a post on X/Twitter."As Governor, I’ll continue doing everything in my power to ensure every New Yorker can live, learn, and worship safely.""In a despicable act of violence, an 8-year-old boy was injured by an intruder at a Queens Jewish school," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement."This child, his family, and all of our Jewish communities are in my prayers," she added.Summer Camp at the school addressed the incident in letter to parentsIn a letter sent out to parents, Ohr Avner Day Camp, which was being held at the school during the incident, said: "An unauthorized individual who appeared to be mentally unwell entered our campus property and walked into the front yard, where our campers were playing."The letter went on to explain that the security guard "restrained the individual and held him until the NYPD arrived and took him into custody, preventing any further harm.""Based on everything we know, this was a completely random incident," the letter added. "There is no indication that our camp, our campers, or our staff were specifically targeted."Although the incident was likely not antisemitic, the NYPD is continuing to investigate all possibilities.Follow us on Google