The charges included burglary as a hate crime.
A defendant sought at the vandalism of four synagogues in a New York City neighborhood has been detained and charged with”numerous” hate crimes, authorities said.
Jordan Burnette, 29, was charged Saturday with burglary for a hate crime and”also faces numerous charges related to the many acts of vandalism as hate crimes which have happened within this community,” Jessica Corey, commanding officer of the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, stated during a media briefing.
Burnette was arrested after he allegedly became”uncooperative” and wouldn’t provide his ID while being issued a moving violation ticket for driving a bike against the flow of traffic around 3 a.m. Saturday in the Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale, Corey explained.
He fit the description of an individual sought at a”hate crime criminal mischief pattern” at the area, Corey said.
Officers canvassed the area where Burnette has been stopped and found a van with a broken windshield. Security footage in a nearby home revealed Burnette allegedly throwing a stone at the doorway, Corey explained.
The same footage showed him allegedly leaving the parking lot of the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, where officials discovered a shed was broken into.
The groundskeeper for the synagogue told officers that the bicycle that Burnette was riding was supposedly stolen from the drop.
Corey said the investigation is ongoing and didn’t reveal a rationale. It’s uncertain if Burnette comes with a lawyer.
Authorities had released surveillance video of a single incident of vandalism, which happened on April 24 at about 10:45 p.m.. A man wearing a camouflage coat could be seen throwing stones at the windows of the Young Israel of Riverdale Synagogue from the Bronx, shattering the glass, the New York Police Department said. Additional photographs and video of the suspect released by authorities showed a guy wearing what seemed to be the same coat.
Three other synagogues in Riverdale had broken windows from thrown stones, police said.
All synagogues from the Riverdale area had increased security after the actions of vandalism. Authorities said they did not expect the increased security to continue now.
Political leaders had decried the strikes.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. stated on Twitter the”heinous, anti-Semitic attacks we saw at 4 places of worship in The Bronx will not be tolerated.”
