Charles Armani, 23, was arrested and charged with hate crimes for allegedly stabbing Elias Rosner, 35, outside a Lubavitch Hasidic temple in Crown Heights on December 16. Rosner reported overhearing Armani ranting about his intent to "kill a Jew today" and uttering antisemitic slurs while displaying a knife. According to Rosner, Armani stated, "I’m going to kill Jewish people, I’m going to kill a Jew today, I don’t give a f–k … We wouldn’t be in this mess if the Holocaust had happened.” Rosner claims he was the only one who confronted Armani, after which Armani allegedly stabbed him once in the chest, narrowly missing his heart.
Rosner was treated at Kings County Hospital and released the following day. Armani faces charges including attempted assault, assault, aggravated harassment, and menacing, all designated as hate crimes.