Manhattan prosecutors announced yesterday that Queens resident Dawood Faisal faces a dual indictment for manslaughter and hate‑crime offences. The charges stem from a May 25 car crash in which Faisal allegedly sped through two red lights at more than 75 mph in a 35 mph zone, colliding with two other vehicles and killing 71‑year‑old Cara Trager, a well‑known Jewish community leader and journalist.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Faisal tried to flee the scene before by‑standers restrained him. If convicted, the manslaughter count carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, while the hate‑crime count related to a separate incident could add up to seven years.
Vandalism of a kosher bagel shop
Prosecutors also allege Faisil damaged the kosher bagel shop Bagels & Co. in Fresh Meadows on two occasions – on May 15 and May 23 – by destroying plant stands that displayed Israeli flags. The vandalism is said to have caused “hundreds in damages”.
Michael Trager, the husband of the deceased and a survivor of the crash, told investigators he believed the attacks were deliberately aimed at their heavily Jewish neighbourhood.
Broader context of antisemitic incidents
The indictment arrives as New York City recorded a 46 % rise in antisemitic hate crimes during May, with 41 incidents reported, representing 60 % of all hate crimes citywide.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has drawn criticism for endorsing three congressional candidates who have made anti‑Israel statements, including Claire Valdez, who described Israeli actions as ‘genocide’, and Darializa Avila Chevalier, who took part in a pro‑Hamas rally. In response, UJA‑Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein condemned the mayor’s rhetoric as “political grandstanding” that “causes people to do terrible things,”.