The Ramapo Police Department has provided an updated statement to Monsey Scoop concerning recent messages circulating about an incident in Monsey.
Clarification of Current Status: The message being recirculated pertains to a past incident. Presently, there are no known reports of any serious assaults occurring in Monsey, nor are there any active investigations by the Ramapo Police or other agencies regarding such events.
Original Message Circulated on Tuesday: A message circulated in WhatsApp groups stated:
Message from Ramapo Police: A serious assault took place in the Monsey area of the Town of Ramapo. The Ramapo Police Department’s Investigation Division is actively working with several agencies to locate those responsible for this assault. The safety of our residents is our highest priority. Our Patrol Division has increased patrols in the community. Ramapo Police will be using both marked and unmarked cars, as well as police bikes, for patrol purposes.
Although some believe this was a hate crime, the official stance of the Town of Ramapo Police Department is that, at this time, there is no evidence to support this claim.
If anyone has information suggesting this is a hate crime, as defined in Section 485.05 of the NYS Penal Law, we strongly encourage them to come forward and report this to our agency.
We encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact us at (845) 357-2400.
The Ramapo Police emphasize that the message currently being shared relates to a past incident and assure residents that there are no ongoing serious assault investigations in Monsey. They reiterate the importance of community safety and encourage anyone with relevant information to contact them directly.