A surveillance video released by a community patrol group in New York City shows the terrifying moment a masked man in Brooklyn attempted to kidnap a 6-year-old boy in broad daylight, snatching him away from his father as they walked down the street together.
Stephan Stowe, 28, was arrested Sunday and charged with second-degree kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child, and harassment in connection with the alleged incident, which was captured on video Saturday and shared online by the Crown Heights Shomrim Patrol — a private patrol group for New York’s Jewish community — in collaboration with the NYPD’s 71st Precinct, which conducted the arrest.
“This deeply concerning incident took place in the heart of Crown Heights,” the group wrote on X. “Kudos to the father for his quick action.”
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The video shows the boy’s father walking near 451 Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights, holding hands with his son and another child. Stowe is said to have scurried up to the trio and made his move.
Following the alleged kidnapping attempt, the boy’s father quickly pulls his son back toward him and shoves Stowe before fleeing, according to officials.
According to police, Stowe is a career criminal with over 30 arrests, including criminal possession of a weapon. It’s unclear why he attempted to kidnap the boy.
According to the Jerusalem Post, members of Crown Heights’ Orthodox Jewish community have been the target of numerous attacks and alleged hate crimes in recent weeks.
According to the Post, one Jewish man had to receive 18 stitches after being slashed in the face by an assailant who shouted, “f— you guys,” in reference to Jews.
Reports of “antisemitic hit-and-run squads” attacking Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam circulated over the weekend, with Dutch officials saying they are “horrified” by the apparent rise in antisemitism, according to Reuters.
“Something is clearly going on in Crown Heights,” said Chabad representative Yaacov Behrman on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. “There have been incident after incident over the past two weeks.”
On Monday, Behrman told “there have been almost a dozen incidents this month where the perpetrators wore masks.”
“We got lucky this time, thanks to Shomrim obtaining the footage and the NYPD being able to track the suspects,” Behrman told the reporter. “However, in most cases, the perpetrators haven’t been identified due to the masks.”
Officials with the Anti-Defamation League said on Saturday that they were investigating the “disturbing incident” captured on CCTV and reaching out to “law enforcement and community partners to learn more.”
Behrman, who has communicated with the father, said the man expressed “appreciation for the immediate action taken by law enforcement” to apprehend Stowe on Sunday, and he “also mentioned that his kids are doing okay, everyone is fine, and he is grateful.”
