A Bronx man now faces hate crime charges after police say he stormed into a Manhattan synagogue during Friday night Shabbat services and attacked a security guard and a 63-year-old congregant.
Quick Take
- Larry Montes, 46, was arrested after allegedly disrupting Shabbat services at Central Synagogue in Manhattan.
- Police say he struck a 63-year-old woman, causing a lip cut and arm injury, then spit at and headbutted a security guard.
- Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime.
- The synagogue’s livestream reportedly captured part of the incident, and the motive investigation continues.
Attack Unfolds During Friday Night Prayers
The disruption happened Friday evening at Central Synagogue in Midtown East as congregants gathered for Shabbat services. New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch said an individual interrupted the service, and synagogue security moved to escort him out of the building shortly after he entered.
As security walked him toward the exit, police say the man turned violent. He struck a member of the congregation, a 63-year-old woman, leaving her with a small cut on her lip and an injury to her right forearm, according to accounts of the incident.
Suspect Identified, Charges Filed
Police identified the suspect as Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx. Commissioner Tisch said Montes damaged synagogue property during the struggle, then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team before officers took him into custody.
Montes was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, along with other charges tied to the incident. The New York Police Department is treating the case as a possible hate crime and continues to investigate what drove the attack.
Why Motive Takes Longer to Prove Than the Attack Itself
Police could quickly document what happened: a disruption, an assault, and damaged property, all reportedly caught in part on the synagogue’s own livestream. Establishing a bias motive is a separate legal step. Hate crime laws generally require prosecutors to show the attacker targeted victims because of their religion, not just that violence occurred at a religious site.
That distinction matters because intent describes a person’s state of mind during the act, while motive explains why they acted at all. Courts have long treated motive as the harder thing to prove, since it depends on evidence beyond the physical act, such as statements or documented bias, which takes time to gather and confirm.
A Broader Pattern at Houses of Worship
Attacks and threats at synagogues, churches, and mosques have drawn heightened scrutiny nationwide as law enforcement agencies work to protect religious gatherings. Groups that track antisemitic incidents flagged this case within hours, reflecting how quickly such episodes now spread across social media and news outlets before formal charges are even filed.
For congregants who lived through the attack, the physical toll came first: a security guard headbutted and spit on, a woman bleeding from a lip injury, and a house of worship left with damaged property. Whatever prosecutors eventually determine about motive, the immediate facts of violence inside a sanctuary are not in question.
NYC – man arrested after causing a physical disturbance during Shabbat service at Central Synagogue this evening, injuring a congregant. pic.twitter.com/pgk6yJT8ZB
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 15, 2026
Montes remains in custody as the case moves through the court system. The investigation into what prompted the disruption continues, and additional details may emerge as prosecutors build their case around the hate crime enhancements now attached to the charges.
Sources:
foxnews.com, nbcnewyork.com, nypost.com, x.com
