Police have released a sketch of the suspect they believe is responsible for throwing Molotov cocktails at four locations in Queens on New Year’s Day.
Between 8-10:15 p.m. on Sunday, January 1, the suspect threw four lit Molotov cocktails at different locations throughout Queens, police said. The homemade bombs caused fire and property damage, though no injuries have been reported.
“No matter what the motivation was of the individual who threw Molotov cocktails in Queens, his actions stand in stark contrast to the New York City of today that we’ve built together,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
The NYPD’s Hate Crime Unit is investigating the attack.
The mayor is scheduled to meet with religious leaders today at the Imam Al-Khoie Islamic Center, one of the locations the suspect struck.
The other locations were at 179-46 Hillside Avenue, 146-62 107th Avenue and 88-20 170th Street.
Police described the suspect as 5-feet-8-inches tall, weighing 200-pounds and between the ages of 25-30. The suspect was seen driving a light-colored, four-door sedan.
A $10,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for the crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
