A Brooklyn man has been indicted on multiple charges, including hate crime robbery and assault, following a violent and unprovoked attack against a Jewish man inside a subway station, prosecutors announced.

Eric Gonzalez said the defendant, Neil Hurlock, 20, was arraigned on charges stemming from the March 2 attack at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station.

According to the investigation, the victim was targeted while wearing religious clothing, including a kippah and gartel, and reading a religious text.

Prosecutors allege the suspect, wearing a full-face black mask, followed the victim onto a Coney Island-bound N train at approximately 10:45 a.m. He then launched a brutal assault—punching the victim repeatedly in the face, lifting him, and continuing to strike him multiple times before throwing him onto the seats and attacking him again.

During the attack, the suspect allegedly shouted “[expletive removed] Jew” at the victim, underscoring the hate-driven nature of the assault. He also allegedly ripped the kippah off the victim’s head and fled the scene while still in possession of it.

The victim remained on the train until reaching the 56th Street station, where he called 911. He was transported to SUNY Downstate Hospital with injuries including facial swelling, bruising, and cuts to his hands.

In a key break in the case, the suspect’s cellphone fell from his pocket during the escape and was recovered by the victim. Authorities later executed a search warrant on the phone, leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect.

The defendant has been charged with multiple counts, including robbery and assault as hate crimes, menacing, petit larceny, and aggravated harassment. He is currently on supervised release and is due back in court on June 3, 2026.

District Attorney Gonzalez condemned the attack, stating, “This defendant is accused of brutally assaulting a man in an unprovoked and senseless act of anti-Semitic hate. The impact of crimes like this radiates through entire communities and we will seek strong accountability because we have no tolerance for hate fueled violence in Brooklyn.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)