Posted on 05/03/21
| News Source: JNS
A 29-year-old man from the Riverdale section of the Bronx, N.Y., was arrested on May 1 by the New York City Police Department for a string of attacks on synagogues there.
Jordan Burnette is facing a number of charges in connection with the incidents, including burglary, aggravated harassment, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Several of these are being charged as hate crimes.
The Bronx District Attorney’s office says Burnette “was released on supervised release,” and is due back in court on May 7.
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Speaking to JNS, Evan Bernstein, CEO and national director of Community Security Service, said that Jewish organizations and individuals are having a hard time reconciling the idea that Burnette was released without bail after attacking places of worship.
“They feel they did all the right things and the NYPD did everything that they needed to do” to apprehend the suspect, and “now he was let go,” he said. “It is impacting the community in a very negative way. Emotionally, psychologically and from a security perspective, it’s very concerning.”
Noting that several volunteers from his organization confronted the suspect on April 24 outside the Riverdale Jewish Center, Bernstein explained that intellectually, they understand why he was released without bail, “but emotionally, it’s hard to swallow that that person is back on the streets in some capacity.” Read more at JNS