FORT GREENE — Charges were dropped against a neighborhood safety group member who was accused of a brutal "vigilante" attack on a fashion student in Williamsburg.
The Brooklyn DA's office dismissed the case against Aharon Hollender, 29, in court on Thursday after a witness to the attack failed to correctly identify him in a lineup, the Daily News first reported.
Hollander, who is part of a Jewish neighborhood patrol called Shomrim, was indicted in April of last year — along with four other men — for the December 2013 assault that left Brooklyn fashion student Taj Patterson, 23, blind in one eye.
“We are very pleased that the District Attorney made the right decision to dismiss," Hollender's lawyer Michael Farkas said. "Mr. Hollender committed no crimes. He is now looking forward to moving on with his life.”
Charges remain against the others who were identified by eye witnesses.
The attack occurred around around 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2013 after the Shomrim received neighbors’ reports that Patterson had damaged cars, according to the Brooklyn DA's office.
The reports were unfounded but the group chased Patterson down Flushing Avenue and when they caught up to him they held him down while "savagely" punching and kicking him, according to the DA.
The assault left Patterson with a fractured eye socket and torn retina that caused loss of vision in his right eye.
The assault was originally investigated as a hate crime because the victim accused his attackers of homophobic epithets — but bias charges were never filed.
The remaining defendants face several counts of gang assault and unlawful imprisonment and could serve up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
The Brooklyn DA declined to comment on the case.
