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ATTACKER. TONIGHT, GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE. IT WAS THIS PAST FRIDAY NIGHT, SERVICES AT THE SYNAGOGUE AND PARK HEIGHTS HAD WRAPPED UP AND THE RABBI SAYS HE WAS DOING SOME STUDYING WHAT HAPPENED. >> SUDDENLY I LIFT UP MY HEAD AND RIGHT ON THE SIDE, THREE FEET AWAY, TWO TO THREE FEET AWAY, I SEE A MAN BRANDING A GUN AT ME. LOWELL: THIS MAN HAD JUST DROP TO OTHER PEOPLE ON THE STREET ON PARKSIDE AVENUE IN CLOVER ROAD WITH AN ACCOMPLICE. THE RABBI SAYS, GIVEN THE RECENT ATTACKS ON JEWS IN NEW YORK, HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT HE WAS DEALING WITH. HE WAS NOT ASKING ME ANYTHING. HE WAS NOT TELLING ME TO GIVE ME IS -- GIVE HIM MONEY OR ANYTHING. I THOUGHT HE WOULD PULL THE TRIGGER. LOWELL: THE RABBI SAID HE HAD TO MAKE THE MOST FRIGHTENING DECISION OF HIS LIFE. >> I SIT AND DO NOTHING OR FIGHT FOR MY LIFE. SO I JUST JUMPED AT HIM. LOWELL THE TWO WRESTLED IN THE BAD GUY FLED. BAD GUYS HAVE TO LEARN. IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD NOBODY CARRIES MONEY ON THE SABBATH. LOWELL: THE SYNAGOGUE SECURITY MEMBER DOES NOT THINK THE SYNAGOGUE WAS TARGETED, RATHER IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY CRY. STILL, FOR THIS RABBI, IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING COUPLE OF MINUTES. >> IT’S LIKE A DREAM, BUT I AM TRYING TO MOVE O AND I AM HAPPY THAT I AM ALIVE. LOWELL IF YOU RECOGNIZE THE MAN IN THE SURVEILLANCE PHOTOS OR HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE ROBBERIES IN THIS PARK HEIGHTS AVENUE IT, YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL METRO CRIME STOPPERS AT 18667 LOCKUP.

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A rabbi from New York went to a Park Heights synagogue to pray, but instead, he came face-to-face with an armed robbery suspect.Rabbi Zalman Spitezki told 11 News it all happened so quickly. He said he had to make a life-or-death decision with a gun pointed at his head. Services at the Khal Chassidim Synagogue in Park Heights had wrapped up Friday night and Spitezki said he was doing some studying when it happened."Suddenly, I pick up my head and about 3 feet away, I see a man brandishing a gun at me," Spitezki said.Baltimore City police continue to investigate a series of robberies in the Park Heights area. Police said a man seen in surveillance images had just robbed two other people in the area of Park Heights Avenue and Clover Road with an accomplice.Spitezki said, given the recent attacks on Jews in New York, he wasn't sure what he was dealing with."He wasn’t asking me anything. He wasn’t telling me, 'Give me your money' or anything. He was just standing like that, so I thought he's going to pull the trigger any second," Spitezki said.Spitezki said he had to make the most frightening decision of his life."So I just felt either I sit and do nothing or fight for my life, so I just jumped at him," Spitezki said.The two wrestled and the suspect then fled."Bad guys have to learn this neighborhood. Nobody carries money on the Sabbath. You’re wasting your time. There’s no point," said Heshie Klein, who is a member of Shomrim and security director for Khal Chassidim Synagogue.Klein said he doesn't think the synagogue was targeted, rather it was an opportunity crime. Still for Spitezki, it was a very frightening couple of minutes."It’s like a dream, but I’m trying to move on and I'm happy that I'm alive," Spitezki said.Anyone who recognize the man in the surveillance photos or who has information is asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7-LOCKUP.