US man shot dead after synagogue stabbing

A KNIFE-WIELDING man who stabbed an Israeli student in the head inside a Brooklyn synagogue has been fatally shot by police, authorities say.

THE man stormed into the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic world headquarters in Crown Heights early on Tuesday and attacked Levi Rosenblat, who was studying inside the synagogue, spokesman Motti Seligson said.

According to witnesses, the attacker was heard saying repeatedly "Kill the Jews," said Chaim Landa, a spokesman for Chabad-Lubavitch. Several other people immediately intervened, she said. A witness flagged down a patrol officer, who confronted the 49-year-old man and told him to put the knife down. He initially put it down, but picked it up again, police said. More officers responded and repeatedly ordered the man to drop the knife. He refused and, with the knife in his hand, charged at one of the officers, who fired once, striking the man in the torso, police said. The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not immediately identified, but police said he was from New York City and had a criminal history. The 22-year-old Rosenblat was in stable condition, officials said. Assemblyman Dov Hikind condemned the attack. "I'm told that the attacker came earlier that evening, too. He was stalking the scene. Thank God he didn't inflict more harm nor do more damage to more people," Hikind said in a statement. He said while a motive for the attack was not yet known, greater security was needed for Jewish institutions.