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UPDATED 11:31PM EST: YESHIVAWORLD EXCLUSIVE: Lakewood Attacker Arrested!


(UPDATE BELOW ORIGIONAL STORY) 6:42PM EST: Yeshivaworld News has just learned that the suspect wanted in the brutal assault of Rabbi Moskowitz of Lakewood (reported HERE on YW) has been arrested by the Lakewood PD. Yeshivaworld has just spoken to Rabbi Schenkolewski – the noted Askan from Lakewood – who has informed us that the suspect was arrested yesterday after an intense investigation, and he has been charged with attempted murder. An informant who tipped off the Lakewood PD will be receiving a $25,000 reward! A press-conference is reportedly scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, where this will be publicly announced.

UPDATE: 7:04PM EST: Yeshivaworld has just learned that the 35 year-old Lee Tucker is the suspect in the brutal assault of Rabbi Moskowitz. Additionally, a source tells YW that he was recently released from Ancora Psychiatric Hospital (a NJ Mental facility) with “homicidal tendencies”. His bail has been set at $375,000.

UPDATE 11:31PM EST: Yeshivaworld has been informed that the LPD knew about him last week but there was no urgency to pick him up while he was being held in Ancora (He was back in Ancora since last week.) When they found out that he was being released they were able to pick him up on an $80.00 warrant from another municipality. (Lakewood police volunteered to pick him up since they wanted to speak with him because of the leads they had received.) They had to cut him loose at 2:00AM last night because they still didn’t have enough to charge him. They received additional information today from another informant which enabled them to charge him.



67 Responses

  1. even more pathetic!!!!!!! the guy was just released from a mental hospital for “homicidal tendencies” and they couldnt get him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wouldnt a
    person with such a history be be the first place you check

  2. Baruch hashem he was caught. Let’s hope this animal gets locked up for the rest of his life.

    Any update on Rabbi Moskowitz’s condition?

  3. If he is homicidal why was he released? and if so, he will probably plead insanity. He should be locked up for the rest of his life in jail or a mental institution.

  4. about time I hear that Rabbi Moskowitz is doing B”H fine and will have a complete refua shelaima
    ps does any one know where in lakewood this thug lived?

  5. This appears to be good news! But let’s not forget that it’s still necessary for R’ Moskowitz to have a complete recovery.. and for this maniac to get locked up for a looong time, so the streets can be safer for the rest of society.

    Does YW have info as to know when exactly (today/earlier this week?) this arrest took place?

    Is there any relation to Pastor Lee Tucker which seats on Lakewood’s Advisory Committee on Housing?

    Was he checked in before.. or after this brutal attack? What were the details related to his check-in? Who signed off on his check-out? Who are his friends which drove him the 55 mile distance ‘back’ to Lakewood?

    There is more to this story…

  6. Kudos to the Lakewood Police Dept. for their hard work. Let all those who criticized them earlier now come and apologize.

  7. It may seem that a mental person as such cannot be held responsible for his actions, but there is an evil inside this human animal that cannot be excused by his “mental State”. Do they know if he will be charged with a “bias attempted murder crime” which carries a harsher verdict if found guilty ?

  8. wow I thout its gonna take much longer 2 find him but I think the lpd did a good job …. I HEARD THAT THE RABBI IS DOING MUCH BETTER HE WAS WALKING & TALKING YESTERDAY.

  9. B”H the lakewood police dept did do a great job. They put in an incredible amount of effort and countless hours and have what to show for it. Kudos to a job well done!

  10. It’s imperative that we use this as an oppurtunity to make the release of these animals more stricter. We have to go to the askonim whoever they may be, our own or the politicians, and raise the roof! But I “mamesh” mean “raise the roof!” Shoimu Shomayim. Everyone “lefi koichoi.” Make a “tumul”. This story should not go by without a change in the law. Raboisai. Uru shaino mimishnaschem. Wow. I am traisling.

  11. baruch hashem rabbi moskowits is coming home for shabbos but he still needs physical and cognitive therapy and a lot of tfilos.

  12. I know only too well about mental patients being released-my 22 year od yeshiva bochur son was r”l killed by a bi-polar individual driving a car southbound in a northbound lane at high speed 2.5 years ago erev pesach.the driver had been recently released from the mental hospital when it happened.why was he released? why was he allowed to drive a car and hold a license?the prosecutor told me that he has rights! I could not sue the hospital or the doctor who released him and i haven’t seen one penny from the guy’s insurance $ yet either. Very recently the “rotzeach” was released back into our community. The justice system felt more sorry for “poor” him than me, a bereaved and suffering mother.Justice is only served in the beis din shel maala, not here on earth!

  13. The actual guy hardly looks like the sketch. The lips are way off and he’s a lot taller and skinnier. You would not be able to recognize him from the sketch.

  14. The Lakewood PD knows this guy very well, for years. They were either working on this for quite a while, or they never thought of an obvious possibility. I guess we’ll find out soon.

  15. Unfortunately the state mental institutions (such as Ancora) are nothing more than a “halfway house” for these people. If they “behave” (i.e. follow the rules of the institution) for a certain amount of time, the law states that they must be released.
    There is no follow up program in place to ensure that these people continue to take their medicines & so forth. So someone with out a solid support network of family, friends etc. to encourage him to take his meds and do the excersises to keep their mental symptoms under control will definitely not make it on his own and will return to their abnormal behavior. Sounds to me like that is exactly what happened here.

  16. I view this as a good news/bad news situation.

    Good news : The police actually caught someone! Good for them! (that rarely happens down here in baltimore, I’m not sure about how things work in NJ) Hopefully this guy gets punished to the fullest extent of the law.
    (also good news, this guy was nuts, not part of a larger anti-semitic movement)

    Bad news : People get released onto the streets from psychiatric care with documented homicidal tendencies. Thats disgusting and moronic. How can you let people who are prone to killing wander free like that? (also bad news, HOPEFULLY this guy gets punished to the fullest extent of the law)

  17. If the Asbury Park Press is correct, both Lee Tucker and Pastor Tucker both live on Ventura. Ventura is off Ridge towards Howell, right outside the “Raintree” area.

  18. The Lakewood police department is far from commendable,and the Lakewood community are at fault.How much longer will we allow them to protect us.We have to realize that we have to protect ourselves.Why arent the noted ASKANIM arranging a private patrol service.How many more victims do we have to suffer before we get it,no one likes us or cares for us.We have to stand up for ourselves,and if it means shelling out the almighty buck so be it.And by the way who caught this bi polar maniac MONEY not the LPD.This is the truth it might hurt but it is true ask any of our Roshei Yeshiva….

  19. I have some major “inside” information, so listen up.

    The Lakewood PD had nothing to do with this, so let’s not get all excited and fall over ourselves congratulating them on “all their hard work.”

    And the tip was from a frum member of our community, not a friend of the attacker or anything, so let’s not get all excited about the reward money worked either (although it always pays to offer it anyway, and the lucky frum guy will at least keep it now.)

    A frum person driving in a car saw someone who fit the description walking suspiciously and holding a stick. He called the PD, and told them about the man and had them come down. The PD confronted him, and the man refused to talk. He was eventually taken in, and then identified as the attacker.

    It was NOT the PD, or any friends, who identified him…. wonder why?

  20. Oh! And comment #19 (anotheropinion): “Uru shaino mimishnaschem.”?????

    Shaina should awaken from learning her mishnayos?

    Before getting so excited, it may pay to know someting first.

    FYI, it’s uru yesheinim mishinaschem….

  21. PLEASE!

    Stop trying to submit comments which are LOADED with totally inaccurate information.

    Do not try to submit comments stating that a particular watch group was responsible for this mans arrest. It is 100% not true.

    Do not try and submit names of people who called police with this mans info.

    NOTE: The incident which occurred last night, is in NO-WAY connected with Mr. Lee Tucker’s arrest.

    Read the latest update posted at the bottom of the story. (Added 11:31PM EST).

  22. Seems like Shomrim were not involved at all.

    The Asbury Park Press is reporting the story now.

    YW has correct info (5 hours before anyone else.)

    I would also like to publicly thank the Lakewood cops!

  23. kUdos to the lkwd PD for nailing this retard.

    i hope mrs moskowitz gets the best lawyer in the contry and sues the state of nj for letting this sicko roam our streets

  24. #31,,, based on your comment, people may confuse you with a “lomed al menas lekanter”.
    its not becoming of a learned person to speak that way.
    speak to people in a positive tone, and youll see that youll have a positive effect. speak in a negative tone and youll only make the matter worse.

    hatzlacha rabba

  25. YW,
    Do you mean to tell us that the LPD had him and released him????? What losers!!!! If the case was important enough law enforcement have many ways of keeping people locked up or at least under tight surveilance until they can charge. It sounds like President Clinton who was offered Osama and didn’t take him because he didn’t have enough evidence!

  26. A few months ago a guy shot his wife in Lakewood! Guess what? They have him in the hotel (jail), he doesn’t pay any rent/bills it will be at least a year before he’s tried, we (taxpayers) are paying for his lawyer and for the prosecution lawyers (and court fees…) they’re not gonna kill him, so he’ll probably stay in the hotel for a few years, and then they’ll let him go (and by the way this guy was already sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficking, but they let him out a year later)

  27. Unbelievable that this pathetic sicko lives just a couple doors down from Lakewood’s Mayor!?

    Did he ever exhibit the swinging-bat/etc. type of behavior in that neighborhood? It would seem that this maniac at least had enough of a “sound mind” not to mess with his own neighbors??

  28. hindlebindle-
    I had heard the “story” about your son and I can’t begin to fathom your pain. YOU experienced a tragedy and everyone’s tripping over themselves to make sure that HIS life is not uncomfortable. You are right that the only conclusion can be that in this world Hashem does not always serve justice – sometimes He waits. You should have a nechama.

  29. Maybe this was anti-semitism but it surely a message from Ha-shem. As it says
    “Ve’hoyoh Mechanecha Kodosh Velo
    Yireh Becho Ervas Dovar Veshov Meacharecha”. You are missing the point. Of course Ha-shem ALWAYS DOES justice here Ha-shem ALWAYS DOES justice it’s just that we don’t understanding things but we will.

  30. The system is such that after a person is involuntary held in a psych institution for 72 hours, they cannot be held longer against their will. That is how unstable people get out when they shouldn’t be allowed to.

  31. hindlebindle,
    May Hashem give you comfort from your tragedy. I know it especially hurts because the ‘system’ doesn’t seem to care.

  32. Bias Crime – I heard that they are not calling it a bias crime – it appears to me that he did not conveniently drive to 12th & Princeton with a bat because he ‘happened’ to want that block – Isn’t obvious he was looking for the ‘right’ victim?
    He might be institutionally challenged but I might guess that he hears ‘hate’ at home and acted on it.

  33. Hindlebindle: Is there any thing we can do to make a difference? Sign a petition? E-mail any politicians? Anything? I’m sure everyone at YW would be happy to help out any way possible. You as a yachid may not have a voice, but there may be a difference in numbers Please let me/us know since we are feel your pain and are ready to do our share. You are not alone.

  34. WHAT A DISGRACE THAT A SICKO LIKE THIS WAS RELEASED!

    It is so typical of a liberal society that does not rely on logic but on rediculious burocratic laws.

    Rav Moskowitz should have a complete Refuah Shelaimah bekorov!

  35. Thanks to all of you who responded to my post(#21)
    Although nothing will ever heal my broken heart, it is nice to know that members of our community-strangers in cyberspace-still care about my pain.
    I don’t think at this point rallying the justice system will help(i don’t live in the U.S.A.)i attended all the hearings for the meshugener and read 3 different victim impact statements and they still let him out of the mental hospital.

    You would be shocked to hear that the Bikur Cholim where I live visited “him” while he was in the mental hospital even bringing him kugel!! unfortunately they did not think that i should be visited or brought kugel for that matter. It’s hard to believe but it really happened that way.When i went to the Vaad Harabonim to tell them what had happened the Rosh of the Vaad told me that this too is part of my nisayon!!

    So thank you all for your support. May Rabbi Moskowitz return to good health and know no more pain.I hear that he is a wonderful person with amazing middos!

  36. Lee definateley was a loose cannon. It wasn’t due to the “Good Work of the Lakewood Police”, that is BS He is a severely Paranoid schiziophranic, who was ratted out. The beating is a shame and my heart goes out to man and his family… I am just surprised it didn’t happen sooner! He was locked up time and again, sent to the mental facility and released over and over agian. I knew him personally He needs help, Prison will just make things worst, we live in a society that we would rather throw someone or something away than try to help or fix it . This could have been prevented just look at his mental illness history and tell me that they didnt see this coming . If those who we depend on to keep us safe were more on the ball things could have turned out differentlty ..

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