Authorities in New York say a man has been arrested and charged in connection with the vandalism of a church statue in Brooklyn, an act that investigators are treating as a hate crime, according to ABC7NY. The arrest brought a suspect into custody nearly two years after the incident first took place.
Police identified the man as 23-year-old Deikel Alcantara. According to authorities, the vandalism unfolded at a church in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn back in October 2024, and it remained an open case in the time since.
The incident was captured on video, which authorities pointed to in laying out what happened. In the footage, the man is seen approaching the church and appearing to kiss the statue before breaking off the statue's hands.
Alcantara was taken into custody earlier in the day, according to authorities, closing out a case that had stayed with investigators for roughly two years since the 2024 vandalism. Officials released the video of the incident as part of the case.
He is now charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime. That classification reflects how investigators have characterized the motive behind the damage done to the religious statue at the Brooklyn church.