NY authorities investigate knife attack on Jewish family

New York police are looking into a possible bias crime against an Orthodox Jewish family that was slashed by a knife-wielding man on Wednesday.

The family — a 22-year-old man, 23-year-old woman and 1-year-old toddler — was attacked while walking in Lower Manhattan. The family was visiting from Belgium.

Police identified the suspect as Darryl Jones, 30, and have taken him into custody, a New York Police Department (NYPD) spokeswoman told The Hill.

The attack is being investigated by the New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said.

CNN, citing a source in the NYPD, reported that a preliminary investigation found the suspect did not make any anti-Semitic statements. The family was reportedly dressed in traditional Hasidic garb during the incident.

Jones was charged with three counts of assault, assault on a person less than 7 years old, three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The man who was attacked suffered an injury to his head, the woman was slashed on the lip and the boy suffered an injury to the chin. The family was treated by emergency medical services on the scene, NYPD said.

ABC News noted that Jones was released from state prison in February after serving several years for attempted murder. He is on parole until 2026.