Authorities are stepping up security at Jewish institutions citywide after the stabbing of a student at a synagogue in Brooklyn Tuesday.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton ordered his officers to keep watch over a number of religious organizations, including the Bronx's Riverdale Jewish Center. He said the stabbing is believed to be an isolated incident, but as a precautionary measure, heightened safety measures will be taken until an investigation is complete.
According to police, 49-year-old Calvin Peters stabbed 22-year-old Israeli student Levi Rosenblat in the head at the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters. Peters was then fatally shot by an officer during a confrontation that was caught on cellphone video.
The NYPD said Peters, who was armed with a knife at the time of the shooting, was known to the police department and had a history of being emotionally disturbed.
Bratton released a statement commending the cops involved, saying in part, "They responded quickly to a tense and dangerous situation, and while any loss of life is tragic, we are fortunate that more people were not injured or worse."
Rosenblat remains hospitalized in critical condition.