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Two Orthodox Jewish Men Shot With BB Guns in Queens, Police Say

By  Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska and Trevor Kapp | September 22, 2015 3:40pm 

 The Orthodox Jewish men were shot with BB guns in two separate incidents in Kew Gardens Hills. 
The Orthodox Jewish men were shot with BB guns in two separate incidents in Kew Gardens Hills. 
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Anton K. Nilsson/DNAinfo

QUEENS — Two Orthodox Jewish men were recently shot with BB guns in Kew Gardens Hills in two separate incidents that are being investigated as potential hate crimes, police said.

The victims, who were attacked during the Jewish High Holy Days, suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Both men were hit on 150th Avenue, between 73rd and 75th avenues, in a heavily Orthodox neighborhood.

The first incident happened on Sept. 11, when a 28-year-old man was hit in the back as he was walking home from synagogue in the evening, police said.

The second attack happened on the same block a week later, on Sept. 18 in the morning, as a 25-year-old man was walking to synagogue. He was hit in the left leg.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Tuesday that "anti-Semitism is up ... so a lot of our effort in the Hate Crimes is focused toward that."

Local elected officials said they were troubled by the attacks, which were first reported by the Queens Chronicle.

“I was deeply disturbed to learn that two Jewish victims were hit by BB guns in Kew Gardens Hills,” said Councilman Rory Lancman in a statement. “My office is in contact with the Police Department to ensure that the security concerns of our community are addressed, particularly during the upcoming holidays.”

Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz also issued a statement, saying that the incidents betray “an unfortunate prejudice alive in our neighborhood.”

“We live in a community that should celebrate and be proud of our diversity,” Simanowitz said. “Acts of bigotry will not be tolerated or go unpunished.”