Brooklyn mosque vandalized in another suspected hate crime in NYC. Here's who police are looking for.
NEW YORK -- A Brooklyn community is on edge after a mosque in their neighborhood was vandalized, the latest in a rise of suspected hate crimes in New York City in 2024.
A broken frame that once held a sign stands in front of the Nation of Islam's Muhammad Mosque No. 7C on Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York.
"I thought it was a gunshot"
Police said a man threw an object and broke the sign early on May 29.
"I thought it was a gunshot, but when I turned around I didn't even notice that the sign was broken. When I looked out the window, I was just looking around to see where it was coming from. When I looked down, I see all the glass from the light and everything. It was like somebody threw a brick or something," said Kevin Dorsett, who lives next door to the mosque.
The mosque was closed Friday, but neighbors said services usually happen on Sunday. A leader at the congregation said there were no plans to comment until the NYPD finishes its investigation.
"Hate crime is up 54%. So people get in mind to do things and they do it, and they try to pick times when nobody can catch them. That's all," said a man from the Bronx who was visiting the neighborhood.
Crime stats show 54% increase in hate crimes
The NYPD's latest crime stats show 86 hate crimes investigated in May 2024, compared to 56 in May 2023, which is a 54% increase.
Surveillance video shows the man police believe was behind the mosque vandalism.
Investigators said he is about 6 feet tall, with a medium build and tattoos on his right arm. He was last seen running southbound on Pennsylvania Ave.
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
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