Christians targeted in new york city hate crime spree

Christians Targeted in New York City Hate Crime Spree

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1 min read
November 12, 2025

QUEENS, N.Y. – Police are searching for a suspect accused of targeting three churches in Far Rockaway with anti-Christian graffiti in a string of hate crimes earlier this month.

Authorities said all three incidents occurred in the early morning hours of October 5 within minutes of each other.

Each church was spray-painted with anti-Christian messages on its front facade, and in one case, religious statues were also defaced.

Christians targeted in new york city hate crime spree
Photo: christians targeted in new york city hate crime spree

Key Points

  • Three Queens churches were vandalized with anti-Christian graffiti on October 5.
  • The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incidents as hate crimes.
  • Police are asking for help identifying the suspect captured in surveillance images.

Three churches hit within 20 minutes

According to police, the first act of vandalism happened around 1:40 a.m. at The Refuge Church of Christ on Mott Avenue, where anti-Christian statements were painted across the building’s exterior.

Just four minutes later, similar graffiti appeared on the front of The City of Oasis Church of Deliverance, located less than a block away. Investigators said both incidents bore consistent markings and style.

At approximately 2:00 a.m., the same suspect is believed to have struck St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church on New Haven Avenue, where not only the facade but also the faces of two religious statues were spray-painted.

Hate Crime Task Force leading investigation

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is spearheading the investigation and reviewing video surveillance that captured images of the suspect in the area during the time of the incidents. Detectives are working to determine whether the same individual is connected to other acts of vandalism reported in nearby neighborhoods.

Christians targeted in new york city hate crime spree
Photo: christians targeted in new york city hate crime spree

Anyone with information or who recognizes the suspect is urged to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

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