The driver who could be seen on video ramming his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters in Brooklyn, then reverse and do it again, faces a slew of hate crime charges as more details about his past come out.
The Wednesday night crash at the building on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights drew a massive police and emergency response. No injuries were reported and the driver, identified by police as Dan Sohail, was immediately taken into custody at the scene. His 2012 Honda Accord sedan was left mounted on the sidewalk.
The NYPD bomb squad found nothing incendiary during a full sweep of the vehicle. Sohail rammed his car into the building five times while the prominent Jewish synagogue was packed for a holiday celebration.
The man behind the wheel appeared to have yelled for people to get out of the way before he began driving into the entrance, two sources told NBC New York, which may help explain why no one was hurt. Video showed him slam into the building five times.
Law enforcement sources also said the driver has a history of mental health issues. The incident sparked a hate crime investigation resulting in a slew of charges on Thursday, including attempted assault, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief — all as hate crimes. Sohail also was charged with aggravated harassment and criminal tampering.
The 36-year-old driver is from Carteret, New Jersey, according to police. Attorney information for him was not immediately available.
Sohail previously tried to convert to Judaism and had visited the Chabad Lubavitch headquarters on multiple occasions, possibly to discuss conversion, two sources told NBC New York.
Among his international trips taken in recent years, Sohail traveled to Israel on Dec. 28 and stayed for more than two weeks, according to sources.
Police said the suspect was in Brooklyn at the time to keep trying to connect with the community. Rabbi Yaakov Behrnov said Sohail first spoke with rabbinical students in the area.
“They said the individual approached them about an hour before and asked them if the gathering was tonight or tomorrow,” said Behrnov. “So we know he intended. Whether he did it because he suffered from mental illness or to kill Jews — I know police are investigating.”
Out of an abundance of caution, police have escalated security around houses of worship across the five boroughs.
“This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a post on X after going to the scene. ” Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism has no place in our city.”
I am at 770 Chabad World Headquarters in Crown Heights, where a man intentionally, and repeatedly, crashed his car into the building. I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident.
This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 29, 2026
The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey also released a statement, saying it was “deeply disturbed” by reports of the incident. ADL also thanked law enforcement for their response.
“This building is not only a synagogue, but also the worldwide Chabad.org Headquarters and a beloved symbol of Judaism around the world,” the group said.
The FBI responded to the scene. People were allowed back inside the building on Thursday.
“It’s heartening to see everyone gathering, to continue on and not be defeated by this moment. But it’s a wakeup for the city, it’s a chance for the city to understand that antisemitism and hate and darkness need to be address proactively and positively,” said Chabad Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone.