Police said they have arrested a man accused of attacking a teacher as she walked to work near a Jewish day school in Miami Beach.
Miami Beach Police said the suspect, identified as 38-year-old SG, targeted the victim on Tuesday after she parked her vehicle down the street from the Lehrman Community Day School, located along the 500 block of 77th Street.
According to an internal police memo, G came up to the victim as she began to walk toward the school, spat in her face and called her a “dirty Jew.”
The memo states G slapped the teacher on the left side of the head before he snatched her cellphone from her hand and threw it to the ground repeatedly, causing it to shatter.
Several parents who spoke with 7News said they were disgusted to hear about the incident.
“That’s terrible,” said a parent.
“Very concerning,” said another. “Unacceptable.”
Professional sports agent and 7Sports Xtra’s Drew Rosenhaus is among the parents in this school’s community.
“It really hurts, and it hits home,” said Rosenhaus. “It’s heartbreaking, and you hate to hear about it in our community or anyplace in the world.”
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner also reacted to the cruel act of hate.
“It’s disgusting. Any type of hate crime, certainly in this case, when someone is targeted because they’re wearing a Jewish star and then called names because they’re Jewish and then attacked and hit, shattered their cellphone, it’s horrific,” he said.
Meiner’s sentiments were echoed by Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez.
“It’s disgusting. As a Jewish commissioner of Miami Beach, I take this personal,” he said.
Area residents told 7News it was scary to learn something like this happened in their neighborhood.
“Nobody should be discriminated against, against their religion or anything like that,” one area resident said.
“It’s unfortunately something which the Jewish people have lived with for centuries, and [for it] to happen in Miami Beach, a block away from my house, is shocking,” said Rabbi Shneur Korf.
Some residents said they were shocked such a hateful crime could happen in an area they described as peaceful.
“Very unusual, you know, to have any crime of any type whatsoever around here,” said area resident Ney Collazos.
Police said the victim ran toward the school, where a co-worker contacted police. Officers responded shortly after and saturated the area with the assistance of park rangers. In addition, a drone operator and undercover detectives canvassed the area in search of the subject.
Soon after their search began, they identified and arrested G.
Detectives responded to the school and spoke to the teacher. Sources said she told them that she was wearing a necklace with a star of David at the time of the incident.
G faces charges for strong-arm robbery and battery with prejudice. He is expected to go before a judge on Thursday.
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Source: wsvn
