Man Federally Charged After Ramming Car Into NYC Synagogue

BROOKLYN, NY — A 36-year-old man is facing federal charges after he repeatedly rammed his car into the doors of a synagogue in Brooklyn in January.

Dan Sohail was previously arrested and charged on state charges following the Jan. 28 incident at the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Crown Heights.

The 36-year-old man was taken into federal custody on Monday and pleaded not guilty to intentionally damaging religious property.

Sohail was captured on video striking the doors repeatedly with his 2012 Honda Accord and causing one to fall in completely, as shown in the video shared on X by Yaacov Behrman, who handles public relations for Chabad Lubavitch.

According to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, Sohail told police that his foot "slipped and that he lost control of his car due to the clunky boots he was wearing.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “horrifying” and “deeply alarming.”

The entire incident was caught on security camera footage, according to police.

The federal charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, according to prosecutors.