Cops are searching for a trio of teens who vandalized more than 40 headstones with offensive terms against African-Americans, Chinese and Arabic people, and the NYPD at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Glendale early Tuesday morning.
According to the police, the three suspects — described as males, approximately 16 to 19 years of age, possibly white or Hispanic with light complexions — entered the burial grounds straddling the Brooklyn/Queens border at 12:14 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Once inside the cemetery, law enforcement agents stated, the teens knocked over and spray painted derogatory words on more than 40 headstones.
When officers from the 104th Precinct responded to the situation, they found that the individuals used pink and blueish/purple spray paint to write hateful messages and racial slurs including “N*****,” “I hate sand n*****s,” “F**K NYPD,” “Ching Chong,” “F**k Jackie Chan,” and other words and scrawlings, including possible tags.
The trio also entered the memorial Abbey mausoleum and broke the marble stones on the front of approximately 15 vaults, and spray painted more derogatory words, authorities said.
The teens can be seen on the video moving around a trash can and tossing a plastic crate as they try to gain entrance to a door. At one point, it looks as if one of the suspects injures his leg. Throughout the incident the individuals are taking pictures on their cellphones.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
QNS has reached out to Cypress Hills Cemetery and is awaiting comment.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
All calls and messages are kept confidential.
