Two Attackers In Williamsburg Hate Crimes Arrested: Cops

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — Police have found two of the four men who they say attacked three Jewish men in Williamsburg within an hour on Monday.

Just before midnight on Wednesday, police arrested Deandre Diagle, 19, and Michael Bellevue, 20, in connection with the attacks, which were being investigated by both the city and state hate crimes task forces.

Diagle, who is from East New York, was charged with four counts of second-degree robbery and four counts of second-degree assault. Bellevue, who is from Flatbush, was charged with four counts of second-degree robbery and three counts of second-degree assault.

A police spokesman did not have immediate details about why there were four counts on some charges or why the suspects were not charged with a hate crime.

The arrests came one day after police released surveillance video of the four men that they believed were responsible for the attempted robberies.

They each happened within a few blocks and within the span of an hour Monday starting around 5 a.m.
The first attack was on a 71-year-old man who the group of teenage boys punched and searched his pockets before running away empty-handed near 80 Ross St. They then came up to a 67-year-old man near 91 Clymer St. just a half hour later, said "give me your money," punched him, searched his pockets and again ran away empty handed. The boys punched and searched the pockets of a third, 56-year-old man, ten minutes later at 626 Wythe Pl.

The first and third victims were sent to Bellevue Hospital and the second refused medical attention, police said.

Police said Thursday that the investigation is still ongoing.