Viral WhatsApp Video Of “Jews Being Mowed-Down in NYC” Causes Panic

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January 02, 2025 | ב' טבת התשפ"ה

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The Brooklyn Jewish Community is alarmed after a viral WhatsApp video of a Flatbush car accident is mistaken for a vehicle ramming attack

Brooklyn, NY – With the Jewish community on high-alert since the New Year’s car-ramming terrorist attack in New Orleans, which 15 people were killed and over 30 injured and the mass-shooting last night in NYC which resulted in almost a dozen individuals shot in one-incident.

A video has gone viral this afternoon, which was shared on nearly every large Jewish WhatsApp group worldwide, causing widespread panic within the New York Jewish community.

The unedited video in question shows two females, according to a viral WhatsApp message-presumably Orthodox Jewish woman that are pushing baby strollers, being struck by a minivan at the intersection of Nostrand Ave and Kings Highway in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

FrumNews has been in contact with the NYPD, Flatbush Jewish community leaders and local elected officials. All have stated in similar statements that this viral video only shows half the story: It was a car accident involving an elderly (69 year-old) distracted driver, the motorist stayed at the scene and fully cooperated with the NYPD. The driver, a resident of the community was also extremely apologetic.

There were minor injuries to two woman and a 1-year-old boy, they were transported by Ambulance to Maimonides Medical Center in stable condition. The accident was already fully investigated by the NYPD and it has been positively determined that there was no criminal or malicious intent in regards whatsoever.

FrumNews wants to reiterate, that although the Jewish community is on-edge due to recent attacks. This incident was not a hate-crime in anyway, but was a car accident. Messages circulating on WhatsApp describing this incident anything but a ‘Motor Vehicle Collision’ is simply incorrect.

An Askun from Flatbush who was in contact with the NYPD Community Affairs Division all afternoon, spoke with FrumNews afterwards and said “When sharing videos, especially in regards to the [Frum] Jewish community, one must be extremely careful to include the proper context as not to alarm the public for no apparent reason.”

This is the viral video footage: Note that this only shows the initial accident, but the surveillance footage angle doesn’t capture the aftermath where the driver stops, stays on scene and tends to the victims

Car accident in Flatbush. NOT intentional, this was a car accident, driver remained on scene and cooperated with NYPD pic.twitter.com/3KmBzlboG3

— FrumNews.com (@Frum_News) January 2, 2025