NEW YORK, Aug. 6 (Our New York News) — A masked man entered the courtyard of St. Rita Roman Catholic Church in Queens and struck a statue of the Virgin Mary with a hammer, according to surveillance video released by the Diocese of Brooklyn. The statue’s head was knocked off.
No suspect has been identified, and no arrest or criminal charge has been reported. The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the vandalism as a possible hate crime, according to information attributed to police.
What happened?
The incident took place shortly before 2 a.m. on Aug. 1, according to the Diocese of Brooklyn. Reports have placed the time at about 1:42 to 1:45 a.m.
The video shows a person wearing a mask, a dark T-shirt and shorts climbing over a fence into the church courtyard. The person approaches the statue while carrying a hammer, strikes it and then leaves the area. The diocese released the video and images of the damaged statue in an effort to help identify the person.
Accounts differ on whether the statue was struck once or more than once. The confirmed result was that its head was knocked from the statue.
Why is it being investigated as a possible hate crime?
A hate crime is a criminal act that prosecutors allege was motivated in whole or in part by bias against a person or group because of characteristics such as religion, race, national origin or sexual orientation. A police investigation or possible classification is not a finding that a hate crime occurred.
The NYPD has not publicly identified a motive in the information available about this case. The supplied reports also do not include an arrest record, criminal complaint or other court document establishing a formal hate-crime charge.
The investigation is being handled by the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force. Investigators will determine what happened, who was responsible and whether evidence supports a bias-related charge or another offense.
Is this part of a larger pattern?
The Diocese of Brooklyn and church officials said St. Rita’s has experienced four vandalism incidents since 2024. Reports also described an earlier incident on March 21, 2026, in which the person’s face was not clearly visible.
It remains unclear whether the same person was responsible for the earlier incidents. Reports have differed in how they count the prior vandalism and when it occurred. The available information does not establish that the incidents are connected.
The church has been described in coverage as being in Queens, with reports using different neighborhood labels. The event’s jurisdiction is the New York City Police Department.
What happens next?
Police will review the surveillance footage and other evidence as they investigate. Until an arrest and court filing occur, the person shown in the video remains unidentified and has not been accused in court.
The Diocese of Brooklyn has asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Information may also be submitted through NYPD Crime Stoppers channels.
