Woman Charged in NYC Rabbi Stabbing Also Allegedly Attacked Another Man Hours Earlier

A Brooklyn woman has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of assault and menacing, along with aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon, for allegedly attacking a rabbi with a syringe in Manhattan's Diamond District. Police confirmed that Anna Mochalova, 32, is also accused of assaulting another man approximately two hours prior to the incident involving the rabbi.

The first alleged assault occurred around 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday at West 45th Street and Avenue of the Americas. A 37-year-old man told officers that an individual deliberately collided with him. When he confronted the person, he was struck in the forearm with a sharp object, sustaining a laceration. The assailant fled the scene on foot, and the victim declined medical attention.

Roughly two hours later, at approximately 7:50 p.m., police responded to a report of a stabbing outside 15 West 47th Street. A 26-year-old man was approached and stabbed in the back with an unknown sharp object. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Reports identified this second victim as a rabbi and indicated that a syringe was used in the attack.

Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol volunteers, along with the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force and other Shomrim groups, were credited with assisting in Mochalova's arrest. The group announced her apprehension on X, stating, "The suspect wanted for Wednesday’s two hate crime assaults in Midtown Manhattan is now in custody."

Surveillance video shared by Manhattan Shomrim reportedly shows the suspect following the rabbi before the stabbing occurred. The rabbi told The New York Post that he believes his visibly Jewish appearance made him a target. Despite the attack, he stated his intention to continue Jewish outreach, drawing inspiration from his grandparents who survived the Holocaust.

These incidents occur amid a rise in hate crimes in New York City. According to NYPD figures, confirmed hate crimes across the city increased nearly 13% in the first nine months of 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year. Anti-Jewish incidents constituted more than half of the city's 463 confirmed hate crimes, with 245 recorded through September, a slight increase from 242 during the same period in 2025.

The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is actively investigating both incidents.