Video shows moment 7-year-old NYC boy, dad hit by BB pellets in possible hate crime

New video shows the moment a 7-year-old boy and his father were hit by BB gun pellets in a Staten Island incident that authorities are investigating as a possible anti-Semitic hate crime. 

The dad and son — wearing traditional Jewish garb — were returning a shopping cart in front of the Kosher Island market in the Meiers Corners neighborhood when someone fired at them from a passing black sports car around 4:20 p.m. Sunday, according to police and the footage.  

The boy ducked and turned toward his father, who tended to him after they were struck, according to the video, released by the Shmira Public Safety patrol. 

The dad was struck in the chest and the boy was grazed in the ear. Both were treated for minor injuries, according to cops.

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident, the department confirmed Monday. 

The suspect — who said nothing to the father and young son — was driving a black Ford Mustang with no license plate and fled on Victory Boulevard toward Richmond Avenue.

The shooter was still at large Monday.

According to the NYPD, there have been 571 hate crimes reported so far this year, up from 495 during the same period in 2021, a 15.4% jump.

Of those, there have been 278 anti-Semitic attacks so far in 2022, compared to 182 at the same time last year, a 52.7% jump, the stats show.

Asked about the spike in hate crimes, Mayor Eric Adams said at a City Hall press conference Monday that all elements of the Big Apple — from educators to prosecutors — must join in the effort to curb the increase in such incidents.

“We can’t only police our way out of this, but I also think prosecutors must send a strong message of no plea bargaining,” he said. 

“If you are found guilty of a hate crime, you should be held fully accountable for that crime.”

The mayor added: “I don’t think anything is more horrific to a person to be attacked because of their gender, their lifestyle, their religion, their ethnicity. That is something that we should hold dear. 

“And we’re going to continue to do our job. We’re going to classify the crimes,” Adams said. “We’re not going to try to sugarcoat them. If it’s a hate crime, we’re going to call it a hate crime.”