A beloved 84-year-old Brooklyn shop owner was fatally struck on his way to afternoon prayers by an unlicensed van driver, police said Thursday.
Noach Klein and a 54-year-old man were both struck just outside Klein’s store, Unique Sterling, on 18th Ave. near 49th St. in Borough Park about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The driver of a 2018 Ford van slammed into the two men when they were about 25 feet from the crosswalk, cops said.
Medics rushed both men to Maimonides Medical Center, where Klein died. The younger victim is in stable condition.
Klein lived in Williamsburg and had for 50 years run Unique Sterling.
“He shared stories of tracking down rare antique silver pieces and the philosophy behind his craft,” a post about Klein’s death on the local news blog Williamsburg 365 reads. “Customers recall him as a man who could spend weeks finding the perfect silver items, ensuring his wares brought both beauty and heritage into homes.”
Klein lived in Williamsburg and had for 50 years run Unique Sterling, pictured here on 18th Ave. (Google)
Klein was on his way to afternoon prayers when he was killed, according to the site.
Hailing from Hungary, Klein immigrated with his family to Israel early in life, according to the site. He moved to Brooklyn to be closer to the leader of the Satmar Hasidic group, even serving in the rabbi’s home.
“For the rest of his life, (Klein) would be a fount of information and anecdotes about the life around the Satmar Rebbe,” the Williamsburg 365 post reads. “Many pages have been filled with his recollections.”
The 38-year-old remained at the scene. He was arrested for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.