Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dawood Faisal was arraigned on hate crime charges for destroying property in May outside of a kosher bagel store on Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows that displayed Israeli flags. Faisal allegedly knocked over multiple plant stands outside the shop on two separate occasions and, in one instance, hurled dirt at the outside wall of the store.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant repeatedly targeted a Jewish-owned business and destroyed property in a vile act of antisemitism. Incidents such as this extend beyond one target and spread fear to an entire community. I thank my dedicated Hate Crimes Bureau which is committed exclusively to preventing, investigating, and prosecuting hate crimes, for its work on this case.”

Faisal, 22, of Fresh Meadows, was arraigned today on a criminal complaint charging him with criminal mischief in the third degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the fourth degree as a hate crime, criminal mischief in the third degree and criminal mischief in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Jennifer Saint-Preux ordered him to return to court August 4.

If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison.

Faisal was arraigned on an indictment in June on charges of manslaughter, assault and other crimes for the death of 71-year-old Cara Trager, who was killed in a collision on Francis Lewis Boulevard. On May 25, Faisal allegedly sped through two red lights and collided with two cars, one of which was propelled into a crosswalk where it struck Trager and her husband.

DA Katz said that, according to the latest charges, on May 15, at approximately 6:18 p.m., Faisal knocked over nine metal plant stands outside of Bagels & Co., a kosher shop on Union Turnpike where numerous Israeli flags and banners were on display. Faisal’s actions caused dirt and plants to spill on the sidewalk in front of the business. He allegedly leaned down and picked up a fistful of dirt and hurled it at the shop twice.

On May 23, at approximately 1 a.m., Faisal allegedly pushed and kicked 11 metal plant stands outside the bagel store causing the plants and dirt to spill on the sidewalk. He then allegedly picked up the plant stands and emptied the remaining contents onto the sidewalk. Faisal tried to kick over a large clay pot and, when he was unable to do so, ripped the plants out of that container and others.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Patrick Lynaugh of the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force in partnership with the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau.

Supervising Assistant District Attorney Melissa Beach of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Brovner, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.