NEW CITY – Grafton Thomas of Greenwood Lake was indicted by a Rockland County grand jury on Friday in connection with the December 28, 2019 slashing of six people during a Hanukkah celebration in Monsey.
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh, II, said Thomas was indicted on six counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault, three counts of attempted assault, and two counts of burglary in the slashing at 47 Forshay Road in Monsey.
Walsh called the incident “a violent and heinous crime… an extremely brutal attack.”
Thomas entered the residence at around 9:52 p.m. and attacked several people inside the home, slashing at least six with the intent to cause their deaths, said Walsh.
Thomas was being held in the Rockland County Jail, but has now been moved to a federal facility. He remains incarcerated on $5 million bail and if convicted of the state crimes, he could face up to 25 years in prison.
Thomas has also been arrested by federal authorities and charged with five counts of attempted murder as hate crimes.
Rockland County Executive Edwin Day, meanwhile, complimented law enforcement “for their quick action in not only apprehending this dangerous individual but seeing that he is charged to the fullest extent of the law.”
Day said he stands with the county’s Jewish community and all residents of the county “in condemning this attack and offer my thoughts and prayers to the victims still recovering physically and mentally from this assault that took place during Hanukkah.”
Day, a former police commander, said, “Violence of any kind will not be tolerated here in Rockland and I will continue to work together with our law enforcement agencies, towns, villages and New York State and the private sector to ensure the safety of our residents.”
The county executive looks forward “to seeing justice served in the coming year and ask that all work towards increasing understanding and promoting tolerance in 2020 and beyond.”
