(JTA) — A New York politician and former cop has pledged to purchase bulletproof vests for a Jewish citizens’ patrol group.
Following the shooting of four members of the Borough Park Shomrim on Sept. 2 by a man who was allegedly exposing himself to children, Brooklyn state Sen. Eric Adams announced Monday that he had purchased five vests for the hasidic neighborhood watch group in Brooklyn and would raise funds to purchase more.
“The only barrier between the safety of our children and this criminal behavior was this organization that we are standing in front of now,” Adams told reporters Monday, “and that needs to be clearly understood.”
Adams, whose district includes Crown Heights, Park Slope and Windsor Terrace, retired as a captain in 2006 after serving 22 years with the NYPD. He co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, an advocacy group for black police officers.
The suspect was identified by police as David Flores, 33. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told the New York Post Flores has nine prior arrests including one for lewdness and two for robbery. The gunfire erupted after the Shomrim apprehended him in the vicinity of a Torah dedication that was packed with children and tried to hold him for police.
The injured Shomrim members were identified as Motty Perl, struck in the hand and shoulder; David Kastow, struck in the shoulder; Yoel Klein, struck in the abdomen and Motty Broner, who was shot in the neck. All four were taken to Lutheran Medical Center and were expected to fully recover.
Flores faces charges of attempted murder as well as public lewdness.
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