Overview
- Surveillance video released by the Diocese of Brooklyn shows a masked man repeatedly striking a Virgin Mary statue with a hammer at St. Rita Roman Catholic Church, an incident the Diocese says occurred at about 1:42 a.m. on Aug. 1.
- The footage shows the suspect wearing a dark T‑shirt and shorts, climbing a fence into the church courtyard, removing a hammer and striking the statue until its head fell off before fleeing.
- The Diocese described the attack as the latest in a string of incidents at the parish since 2024, while police records currently list desecrations of the Virgin Mary and a St. Francis statue and say it is unclear if all episodes are connected.
- No arrests have been reported and the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is handling the probe as a possible hate crime while investigators continue to review evidence and look for the suspect.
- Past parish damage cited by church officials includes a cracked 60‑year‑old stained‑glass window, graffiti on a St. Francis statue and sidewalk, and a damaged St. Jude statue, raising concern among parishioners and prompting calls for increased security and a close watch for further developments.