{"id":295011,"date":"2026-07-13T23:46:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T23:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/295011\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T23:46:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T23:46:51","slug":"individual-arrested-for-throwing-molotov-cocktail-at-nyc-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/295011\/","title":{"rendered":"Individual arrested for throwing Molotov cocktail at NYC church"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Gryboski<\/a>, Editor Monday, July 13, 2026\"Twitter\"<\/a>\"SurveillanceSurveillance footage shows an individual throwing a Molotov cocktail at a Baptist church in Queens, New York, late Wednesday evening, July 8, 2026. | YouTube\/New York Post<\/p>\n

A person has been arrested for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a church in New York City and is suspected of carrying out similar attacks on other buildings.<\/p>\n

New York police said a 36-year-old man was arrested last week for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Iglesia Bautista El Mesias, a Baptist church in Queens, late Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

The unnamed suspect then allegedly went to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and threw a Molotov cocktail at that building, according to the Queens Chronicle<\/a> last Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect every available charge to be pursued by the district attorney\u2019s office,\u201d The Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol, a local nonprofit, said in a statement reported by the Chronicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis individual should not be back out on our streets, and we know that too often that is exactly what happens. Our community deserves better, and we will be watching these cases closely.\u201d<\/p>\n

New York Councilmember Joann Ariola, R-Howard Beach, took to her official Facebook account to address the situation, noting that police arrested the suspect at a local deli.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you to the NYPD for your quick response and ultimate detainment of this suspect,\u201d Ariola said. \u201cThere will be a full investigation to see if this same person is responsible for other dangerous acts against houses of worship in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last October, an unknown individual vandalized<\/a> three Queens churches late at night while carrying an LGBT pride flag on a pole and wearing a rainbow-colored face mask.<\/p>\n

In January, New York officials announced increased police presence at congregations in Staten Island in response to a series of recent criminal disruptions and vandalism at local churches.<\/p>\n

Patrol Borough Staten Island Assistant Chief Melissa Eger said at a press conference<\/a> earlier this year that NYPD Community Affairs officers will regularly visit all local houses of worship to foster community relations and provide safety measures.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I want to emphasize that none of these incidents indicate the targeting of churches due to religious affiliation,\u201d Eger said in January.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese acts were of opportunism and theft, with a separate incident involving a mentally ill person. That said, any incident, especially a disruption of service that occurs at any house of worship, generates serious concern from our community and we know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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