The pastor of the man who allegedly stabbed five Jewish people during a Hanukkah celebration on Saturday night in Monsey, New York said that he had been suffering from mental illness for years and is not a terrorist.
Grafton E Thomas, 37, of Greenwood Lake, pleaded not guilty after he was arraigned on five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary in Ramapo Town Court late Sunday morning. His bail was set at $5million.
He is accused of stabbing five people in a rabbi’s home during a Hanukkah celebration in a predominantly Jewish town in upstate New York on Saturday night.
Reverend Wendy Paige of the Hudson Highlands Cooperative Parish said on Sunday: ‘Grafton is not a terrorist, he is a man who has mental illness in America and the systems that be have not served him well.’
It comes as police investigate whether Thomas is linked to another early morning attack at a Monsey synagogue, according to The New York Post.
That is said to have involved the beating of a 30-year-old man outside the Mosdos Meharam Brisk Tashnad religious center on November 20.
The father-of-four is said to have been ‘approached from behind by one or more individuals’ and stabbed at 5:30am.
The Rev. Wendy Paige speaks near the home of the mother of Grafton Thomas, whom she has known for 20 years and who is the primary suspect in the Saturday night stabbings at a rabbi’s home in Monsey. Paige attributes Thomas’ actions to mental illness
Grafton, 37, pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary at an arraignment in Ramapo Town Court late Sunday morning. He is pictured leaving the court
The suspected attacker stormed into the home of Rabbi Chaim Leibush Rottenberg at around 10pm and began wildly swinging a knife at some 60 worshippers gathered for a candle-lighting ceremony for the seventh night of Hanukkah
Reverend Paige added: ‘We are sending our condolences to the families of the victims. His mother sends her condolences and her prayers for all of the families.
‘I have been his pastor for a long time and he is not a violent person, he is a confused person. We ask that you would pray for the family and pray for those who have been harmed. We ask that you guys would respect the family and stay away from their homes.
‘We apologize to the families for him because we know this is not him. This is an action out of mental illness. Please understand that because a lot of families deal with that. As a pastor, I see it very often. So please let’s work on our systems for mental illness.’
Prosecutors say Thomas stormed into the home of Rabbi Chaim Leibush Rottenberg in Monsey at around 10pm and began wildly swinging a machete at dozens of worshippers gathered for a candle-lighting ceremony on the seventh night of Hanukkah.
He stabbed multiple people as onlookers threw a coat rack, table and chair in his path and chased him out of the home, witness Josef Gluck told DailyMail.com.
‘He was silent. Deadly silent,’ Gluck said of the assailant. ‘Victims were screaming and panicking. It was chaos.’
Thomas then tried to enter the synagogue next door, Congregation Netzach Yisrael-Kosson, but it was barricaded by people who had taken shelter inside. He then reportedly fled in a gray car, as seen in surveillance video.
NYPD officers located him 30 miles away in Harlem about two hours later and he was taken into custody at the 32nd precinct. He was covered in blood and bleach at the time of his arrest.
Reverend Wendy Paige, far left, said on Sunday: ‘Grafton is not a terrorist, he is a man who has mental illness in America and the systems that be have not served him well’
People carry boxes to a car from the home of the mother of Grafton Thomas on Sunday
FBI evidence reponse teams search the home of Grafton Thomas’s mother after her son was arraigned on hate crime charges after an attack on a Jewish holiday celebration
Thomas is seen leaving an arraignment at Ramapo Town Court on Sunday morning
FBI teams search the home of Grafton Thomas’ mother in Greenwood Lake on Sunday
When asked what his motivation was and if he had ever spoken about Jews, Paige said: ‘Grafton has mental illness and that is the source of his confusion and these actions.
‘There has been plenty of help, I have been involved with seeing him get help. I have seen him in the hospital. The systems that be are not the best systems for someone like Grafton who is severely mentally ill. God bless.’
Law enforcement sources searched the home where Thomas lives with his mother in Greenwood Lake on Sunday afternoon.
Local police cordoned off the street with yellow crime scene tape where the suspect lives in a brickfront two story detached house.
Grafton E Thomas was arrested for allegedly stabbing five people inside a rabbi’s home on Saturday night in Monsey, New York
An FBI evidence response agent was seen entering the home around 3.15pm.
Reverend Paige, who made the statement outside of Thomas’ home following a police search, was accompanied by Taleea Collins, a friend of his mother.
Collins said: ‘Grafton’s mom is like a sister to me. Grafton has always been a loving man towards me. He’s just a loving person.
‘I’ve never seen anything violent and I know that he’s suffered with mental health. We are praying for the families and praying for Grafton. We just want guys to know he is not a terrorist, he is a loving man with a lot of creativity and a wonderful spirit.’
Officials were seen marching Grafton, who is African American, out of the precinct in handcuffs before transporting him back to Rockland County.
The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council said the five victims, all Hasidic, were transported to local hospitals with stab wounds, two in critical condition. One man remained in critical condition midday Sunday after suffering a skull fracture. One of the victims is believed to be Rottenberg’s son.
The attack appeared to be the latest in a string targeting Jews in the region, including a massacre at a kosher grocery store in New Jersey earlier this month and six other anti-Semitic incidents over the first seven nights of Hanukkah, which began on December 23.
Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed reporters on Sunday morning and branded the Monsey incident an act of domestic terrorism.
President Donald Trump also tweeted about the incident this afternoon, writing: ‘The anti-Semitic attack in Monsey, New York, on the 7th night of Hanukkah last night is horrific. We must all come together to fight, confront, and eradicate the evil scourge of anti-Semitism. Melania and I wish the victims a quick and full recovery.’
Governor Andrew Cuomo addressed reporters outside Rottenberg’s home on Sunday morning and condemned the incident as an act of domestic terrorism
President Donald Trump tweeted about the attack on Sunday afternoon
On Sunday evening Naftali Silberberg issued a statement on behalf of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Rottenberg, saying: ‘First and foremost, we would like to publicly proclaim our thanks to the One Above who performed a modern-day Chanukah miracle.
‘Last night’s brutal attack sent shock waves through our community and around the world; yet, with G-d’s help, the casualties were less extensive than what might have been. Our hearts and prayers are with all those who were injured, especially the elderly congregant who remains in critical condition at this time.
‘We would like extend our deepest appreciation to the myriad emergency response crews, police and official dignitaries, including local, state and federal officials who sprang into action with impressive readiness, professionalism and concern. Your quick actions saved lives and led to the capture of the evil perpetrator.
‘Following last night’s attack, Rabbi Rottenberg continued with his weekly Sabbath closure ceremonies known as Melave Malka. With singing and dancing the Rabbi and his congregants declared their gratitude for the lives saved and exemplified the message of ‘we will persevere’.
‘I thank Hashem for the open miracles we saw last night. Though we must all take the precautions that have unfortunately become basic security necessities – locking our shul and school doors and having an emergency preparedness plan – we will forge forward in faith and thanks that we continue to live under G-d’s ultimate protection.’
Surveillance video from a home in Monsey showed the suspect fleeing the scene of the stabbing and getting into a gray car
Authorities have not provided a motive for the attack but said Thomas had no ties to the home.
In addition to the $5million bail, a judge issued five orders of protection for the victims and prohibited Thomas from going near the scene of the attack.
The defendant, dressed in a white jumpsuit and gray booties with his hands cuffed behind his back, was silent during his arraignment, except for briefly conferring with the public defender who entered his plea of not guilty.
On leaving court, Thomas remained silent when asked by reporters what was his motive for the violent attack.
He has the option to request a lower bail at a hearing on Monday, but will otherwise appear back in court on Friday, January 3.
Thomas has no prior criminal convictions but has one previous arrest on his record.