A 31-year-old man accused of committing two random assaults within minutes on Wednesday in Brooklyn was released under supervised conditions by a judge, despite prosecutors’ requests for bail.

Eric Avrutov allegedly struck a 66-year-old rabbi on Dahill Road near Cortelyou Road in Kensington at around 9:30 p.m., breaking the victim’s shoulder and placing him in a headlock, according to a criminal complaint and a member of the rabbi’s congregation. The attack, described by police as unprovoked and not motivated by hate, left the rabbi shaken ahead of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

Shortly before the assault on the rabbi, Avrutov reportedly punched a 60-year-old man in the face at a Shell gas station nearby while the victim was pumping gas. Prosecutors sought a $10,000 cash bail or a $20,000 bond for Avrutov in both cases, but Judge Edward Daniels granted supervised release instead.

The decision to release Avrutov pending further legal proceedings drew concern from the rabbi and his community. Avrumi Herbst, a member of the rabbi’s synagogue, noted that while the rabbi remains resilient and plans to officiate during the holiday despite his physical injury, the emotional trauma and safety worries persist. Herbst expressed distress at learning that Avrutov had been released again, emphasizing the community’s concerns for personal and neighborhood safety.

Avrutov’s history includes five prior arrests. Earlier this week, on Monday morning, he was allegedly involved in another incident where he punched a 23-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman in the face at Brighton 12th Street and Brighton Beach Avenue. Due to the top charge being a misdemeanor assault, bail was not applicable, and Judge Duane Frankson ordered supervised release.

The rationale behind Judge Daniels’s decisions to deny bail in the recent cases was not immediately disclosed. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office continues to pursue the charges against Avrutov as the investigations proceed.