A disturbing incident recently occurred in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, when a man allegedly violently shoved a wheelchair-bound neighbor onto the pavement during a caught-on-video altercation. The incident took place on March 29 between Levi Kabakov and Troy McLeod, who was walking his two muzzled German Shepherds without leashes.
According to reports, Kabakov, who is an Orthodox Jew, confronted McLeod, who is black, and asked him to cross the street with his dogs to avoid scaring his small children. However, things escalated quickly when Kabakov struck McLeod with a wooden bench from his yard before pushing him out of his wheelchair and into a parked car, as seen in a video posted on Reddit.
In the video, Kabakov is seen pushing McLeod forcefully, causing him to fall out of his wheelchair and hit his head on the parked vehicle. Despite calls from onlookers to stop the attack and calls for someone to call 911, Kabakov continued his assault by throwing a wooden block at McLeod while he was on the ground.
McLeod, who was left with injuries to his hands, shoulders, and torso, expressed his shock and fear during the incident. He mentioned that his dogs were well-trained and muzzled during the walk, standing in place even as he was being attacked.
Following the altercation, Kabakov was arrested and charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, aggravated menacing, and attempted assault. He was arraigned and released without bail, with a court appearance scheduled for July 17.
The incident has raised concerns about racial tensions in Crown Heights, a neighborhood with a history of racial strife. In 1991, the community experienced violent riots after a tragic accident involving a motorcade and the death of a young boy, leading to further violence and destruction.
Community leaders have condemned the attack on McLeod, calling for justice and unity in the face of such senseless violence. They emphasized the need to address the situation without letting anger turn into hatred or resentment, urging the district attorney’s office to prosecute the case to the fullest extent.
Rabbis from the Jewish community also spoke out against the assault, emphasizing that there is no justification for attacking someone in a wheelchair. The perpetrator has been arrested and charged, showing that such behavior will not be tolerated in the community.
As the case unfolds, the community is hopeful that justice will be served, and steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. It is essential for residents to come together in solidarity and reject violence in any form, promoting peace and understanding among all members of the community.
