New Haven Police Seek To ID Man Who Yelled At 3 Men, Slapped Yarmulke Off One's Head

NEW HAVEN, CT—Thursday afternoon around 4:30 p.m., New Haven cops were approached by two people to report an incident that happened around 40 minutes before, police wrote on "X."

Two of the victims, a New Haven man, 41, and a New Jersey man, 24, and a third man who wished to remain anonymous, told police that "while they were standing on the sidewalk talking amongst themselves, a man they did not know began yelling at them from about 20 feet away."

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The man appeared agitated and began yelling statements, such as "Get out of my city," "Baby killers," "Go back to where you belong," and asking if they liked “genocide," police wrote on social media.

Police said the "victims were visibly members of the Jewish community."

Police said the men reported that the man "approached them while continuing to yell at them, repeating the above statements and smelling of alcohol."

The man then "attempted to shove a fourth person who was trying to intervene, threw a rolled-up newspaper at them, then pointed at the yarmulke one of the victims was wearing and slapped it off his head, causing it to fall to the ground," police wrote. The man then "walked away on Crown Street toward downtown," police said.

Real Time Crime staff were able to use video surveillance to corroborate the victims' accounts and capture video of the suspect walking away," police wrote on "X."

"A be-on-the-lookout broadcast for the offender was put out, but he was not located," police said. "Officers are looking to identify the individual involved and speak with any potential witnesses."

Information can be provided by calling 203–946–6304, through the department's anonymous tip line at 866–888-8477 or by emailing rtcc@newhavenct.gov.