Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Four Members Of Shomrim Patrol Shot In Brooklyn
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 3, 2010
Modified Sep 3, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 3, 2010
Modified Sep 3, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last night, four members of the Shomrim, the Orthodox Jewish volunteer patrol, were shot in Borough Park when they confronted a man who allegedly fondled himself and leered at young children in the neighborhood. When they approached David Flores, 33, near 49th Street and 10th Avenue, he opened fire on them. Motty Perl, who was shot in the hand and shoulder, told the Post, "I tackled him and as we were falling to the ground, he started shooting all over the place. I thought it was a BB gun. I didn't think the gun was real."
Apparently Shomrim, which is licensed and unarmed and has a "strong" relationship with the NYPD, had been following Flores because, the Daily News reports, "they got a call that he was touching himself in front of kids near Borough Park." The News adds, F"lores - who has nine prior arrests, including for public lewdness and weapons possession - saw the volunteers in his rearview mirror and bailed from his vehicle on 46th St. near 10th Ave. at about 7:30 p.m., when he got stuck in traffic, authorities said." But when the Shorim members tried to apprehend him, he fired.
Another member of the group, Jacob Daskel, who wasn't injured, said, "It was like a scene out of the movies. He kept on shooting. He was on the floor. We were grabbing his hand, holding it down." According to the Post, Abraham David Kastow, who tried to kick away the gun, was hit in the shoulder and suffered a burn to his palm while trying to get the gun from Flores; Yoel Klein was hit in the abdomen, back and torso; and Motty Broner was hit in the neck.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Flores, who also shot himself in the arm during the incident, could face charges of public lewdness as well as attempted murder.
Tagged
borough park
brooklyn
gun violence
patrol
public lewdness
shomrim
shooting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .