Crime

UPDATE: Cops arrest suspect in alleged hate crime outside Sunset mosque

July 5, 2016 Jaime DeJesus

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Jaime DeJesus

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According to a police source, cops have arrested the suspect involved in an assault outside a Sunset Park Muslim Community Center which occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 3 in front of 5224 Third Avenue.

The arrest was made on Wednesday, July 6 and the suspect — whose name has not yet been released — has been charged with assault.

According to reports, two men in their teens had left the mosque after prayers during the month of Ramadan, and were looking for their car when the perp allegedly came from behind and struck one of the victims. Once the teen fell to the ground, the attacker continued to assault the teen, kicking and stomping on his head, resulting in a concussion and several lacerations.

Although the mosque claims that the assault was a hate crime, cops ruled it out after the crimes unit investigated the incident.

Police said the 16-year-old victims were hitting on a woman inside the car and that the defendant, her boyfriend, reacted by attacking them.

The mosque, however, portrays a different scenario.

“(Two) of our young community members and volunteers just got attacked outside our masjid after prayers,” the mosque wrote in a statement on its Muslims Giving Back Facebook page. “One of the victims heard the attacker shout ‘Terrorist’ while being punched to the ground. This is absolutely a hatecrime. We are urging our community, our activists, our leaders, to help us make sure the NYPD 72nd precinct files this as a hate crime and catch the perpetrator.”

Elected officials are chiming in via social media, urging the cops to find the truth.

“I am asking the NYPD’s 72nd Precinct to fully investigate the incident where two teens were beaten outside of Muslim Community Center of Brooklyn after evening services,” said Assemblymember Felix Ortiz on his Facebook page. “We must know whether a hate crime was involved. Persons who incited violence must be dealt with according to the law. We have no room for hatred in Sunset Park or anyplace else.”

“I am deeply disgusted by the assault of two Muslim teenagers that occurred outside of their mosque early this holiday weekend,” added Public Advocate Letitia James in a statement. “This type of hate and violence will never be tolerated in New York City, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. I urge the NYPD to investigate this as a hate crime, and continue to call on all New Yorkers to report hate crimes against any and all communities.”