Floridian Behind Bars After Attacking Orthodox Jewish Man Outside Boca-Area Walmart

BOCA RATON (VINnews/Sandy eller)- A Lake Worth man is under arrest for robbing and attacking a visibly Jewish man and another individual, an incident that may be classified as a hate crime.

The incident took place on April 28th at 3:15 PM just outside the Walmart Supercenter on State Road 7 in West Boca Raton. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Teri Barbera, 34 year old Daniel Scanlan came up behind his victim grabbed his yarmulka off his head and called him a “dirty Jew kike” before spitting inside the yarmulka and throwing it to the ground.

A good Samaritan who attempted to intervene was also attacked, with Scanlan taking her phone, shouting a slur at her and throwing both her and her phone to the ground. While the Jewish man sustained no injuries, the unnamed woman suffered a minor laceration to her right elbow.

Zero tolerance for this. #Busted

We arrested suspect, Daniel Scanlan, who hit a man from behind, removed his black yarmulke (Orthodox Jewish skullcap) and called him a "Dirty Jew Kike". A woman attempted to intervene and the suspect snatched her cell phone, insulted her and… pic.twitter.com/jeoBShccOI

— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) May 2, 2023

Scanlan fled the scene in a white Kia and was picked up on the morning of May 1st by Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office detectives, who took him to the Palm Beach County jail. He faces two counts each of robbery with no firearm or weapon, and battery on a person 65 years of age or older.

Barbera said that this was Scanlan’s first arrest in Palm Beach County and had no way of knowing if he had been previously arrested elsewhere.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office took to Twitter to announce Scanlan’s arrest. His mug shot was accompanied by the words “Zero tolerance for this. #Busted.” That tweet prompted a reply from Twitter user Jezabel Yeb who noted “This is why I admire Palm Beach County sheriffs [sic] office the most! They don’t tolerate the hateful violence that is being completely dismissed around the country. Respect to our officers and brave citizens of palm beach county. [sic]”