A 31-year-old man was arrested in Brooklyn on Wednesday night after allegedly launching two unprovoked assaults within minutes of each other, including an attack on a rabbi, authorities said.

Eric Avrutov is accused of confronting a 66-year-old religious leader near Dahill Road and Cortelyou Road in the Kensington neighborhood at around 9:20 p.m. Avrutov reportedly struck the rabbi multiple times without warning. The victim was taken to Maimonides Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition. Surveillance footage from the Boro Park Shomrim Patrol shows the attack lasting approximately 20 seconds before police detained Avrutov at the scene.

Minutes earlier, Avrutov allegedly punched a 60-year-old man at a nearby Shell gas station on Cortelyou Road while the victim was pumping gas. Police charged Avrutov with assault and harassment in connection with the earlier incident.

Despite the nature of the attacks, law enforcement officials indicated they were not pursuing hate crime charges at this time. Avrutov is currently facing charges including assault, criminal obstruction of breathing, and harassment. His arraignments on these new cases were pending as of Thursday evening.

This was not Avrutov’s first encounter with the criminal justice system in recent days. Police reported that on Sunday morning, he allegedly randomly assaulted a 23-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman near Brighton 12th Street and Brighton Beach Avenue. A judge granted Avrutov supervised release in that case, citing bail ineligibility for the misdemeanor assault charge, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

Additionally, Avrutov was accused of violating an order of protection when he reportedly appeared at his grandmother’s Brooklyn residence earlier this year, leading to a charge of criminal contempt. Although prosecutors requested bail, he was again released under supervision.

Avrutov’s record also includes a gun possession charge from 2024, criminal trespass, and previous violations of protective orders.

The attacks occurred during the Jewish High Holiday season, prompting condemnation from city officials. Mayor Mamdani described the assaults on two Jewish New Yorkers that evening—in both Crown Heights and Boro Park—as “horrifying and reprehensible.” He expressed gratitude to the NYPD for swiftly apprehending the suspects and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting the Jewish community and combating antisemitism.

“These attacks underscore the necessity of a broad approach to ensuring safety and rooting out hate in all its forms,” the mayor said.

Authorities continue to investigate the incidents as the community processes the impact of the assaults.