The district attorney’s office also noted that Faisal was arraigned on an indictment in June charging him with manslaughter.
By Shula Rosen
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a 22-year-old Queens man has been arraigned on hate crime charges after allegedly damaging property outside a kosher bagel shop in Fresh Meadows that displayed Israeli flags and banners.
Dawood Faisal, of Fresh Meadows, was arraigned on a criminal complaint charging him with criminal mischief in the third degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the fourth degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the third degree and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Saint-Preux ordered him to return to court Aug. 4. If convicted, Faisal faces up to seven years in prison.
According to the charges, the incidents took place outside Bagels & Co., a kosher business on Union Turnpike.
Prosecutors allege that on May 15, at approximately 6:18 p.m., Faisal knocked over nine metal plant stands displayed outside the store, spilling dirt and plants onto the sidewalk. He is also accused of picking up a fistful of dirt and throwing it at the exterior of the shop twice.
Authorities allege Faisal returned on May 23 at approximately 1 a.m. and again targeted the business, pushing and kicking 11 metal plant stands before dumping their contents onto the sidewalk. Prosecutors further allege he attempted to topple a large clay planter and, after failing to do so, pulled plants from that container and others.
District Attorney Katz said the alleged actions were motivated by antisemitism.
“As alleged, this defendant repeatedly targeted a Jewish-owned business and destroyed property in a vile act of antisemitism.
Incidents such as this extend beyond one target and spread fear to an entire community. I thank my dedicated Hate Crimes Bureau, which is committed exclusively to preventing, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, for its work on this case,” Katz said.
The district attorney’s office also noted that Faisal was arraigned on an indictment in June charging him with manslaughter, assault and other crimes in connection with the death of 71-year-old Cara Trager.
Prosecutors allege that on May 25, Faisal drove through two red lights on Francis Lewis Boulevard, striking two vehicles and causing one to hit Trager and her husband in a crosswalk.
The investigation was conducted by Detective Patrick Lynaugh of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force in partnership with the Queens District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Melissa Beach is prosecuting the case.
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