Video shows NYPD police officers repeatedly pummeling shirtless man in Jewish synagogue's youth center

Two officers recorded throwing multiple punches at man who moments before had been asleep at youth centre

Man, identified as Ehud Halevi, reportedly hit with baton and pepper spray during two minute scuffle

Halevi later arrested for assaulting a police officer



Sources at centre say Halevi had permission to sleep in the centre's lounge

Shocking video shows the moment a New York police officer launches into a sustained beating of a shirtless man in the basement of a Jewish youth centre.

Two officers were called to the basement of the Aliya Institute youth centre in Brooklyn by volunteer security guard Zlamy Trappler, who found the man sleeping in the centre's lounge.

But the security officer now 'regrets making the call' after witnessing the beating of the man, identified as a man called Ehud Halevi, who sources say was allowed to stay at the centre.

The video appears to show the unidentified male officer launch a swinging right-hook punch at the man, which is followed by a two minute 'beating' in which the female officer uses a pepper spray and a truncheon against Halevi, who cowers on the sofa.

Watch the video here:

Violent arrest? The man, identified as Elhud Halevi, was woken up by the two officers, one of whom takes a fighting stance

As the shirtless man moves backwards, the NYPD officer raises his fists

For a number of seconds the officer appears to gear himself up to punch the man, who sources say was welcome to sleep at the centre

The officer prepares to throw his punch, as the female officer moves forward

'It spiralled out of control': The officer throws a punch at the suspect, who was later charged with assaulting a police officer

The man is thrown to the sofa by the punch, which then leads to a two-minute scuffle as the man is apparently hit many times

The apparent beating continues for two minutes until a further eight officers arrive at the scene.

Police have not yet responded to the video, which saw Halevi charged with assaulting a police officer, trespassing, resisting arrest and harassment.

But Trappler told CrownHeights.Info, which posted the video: 'I regret making the call. I should have let him sleep. It spiraled out of control.'

The video shows Halevi asleep on the sofa as the two officers arrive. As they try to rouse him, Halevi appears disorientated and unhappy at being awoken, and gestures at the officers.

As they move forward he puts his hands behind his back, in an apparent move to refuse handcuffs, and then tries to stop the officers grabbing his wrists.

But he does not appear to be acting with hostility - even stopping to hitch up his tracksuit - as the male officer gets into a fighting stance and appears to deliver a punch at Halevi.

For two minutes, the officers are alone in the room with the man and appear to throw many punches. Sources say the man is also pepper-sprayed The man named as Ehud Halevi is apparently punched numerous times in the following two minutes

After two minutes, a further eight officers turn up at the scene to help arrest Halevi

A further two minutes pass by during which numerous and frantic punches appear to be thrown at Halevi, as the female officer apparently uses a truncheon - which she drops at one point - and pepper spray against the man.

The video was shot on the evening of October 8 and police were reportedly responding to calls that two men were fighting.