STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Police have arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly shooting a BB gun at a father and son leaving a kosher market in Meiers Corners.
Jason Kish of Catherine Street in Port Richmond has been charged with assault as a hate crime, acting in a manner injurious to a child under age 17, reckless endangerment and assault, according to a spokesman for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.
District Attorney Michael E. McMahon will hold a news conference on Tuesday afternoon “to denounce the BB gun shooting of two Jewish community members, including one child, and announce the arrest of a suspect.”
The arrest also was touted on the 121st Precinct Twitter feed.
“The suspect wanted for the BB gun assault which occurred on Sunday in front of Island Kosher supermarket has been apprehended thanks to the diligent work of your 121 officers and detectives at Hate Crimes Task Force,” said a post on the 121st Precinct Twitter feed.
The NYPD released a photo of a car that authorities were seeking to locate in connection with the alleged assault.
The BB gun allegedly was fired from a passing car and pellets struck a 32-year-old man and his seven-year-old son at about 4:15 p.m. on Sunday in the 2200 block of Victory Boulevard only steps from the Island Kosher market, according to police.
The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force asked for the public’s help to locate a black, late-model Ford Mustang driven by a male in connection with what police are classifying as a felony assault. The out-of-state license plate located only on the rear of the car was covered, according to a wanted flyer posted on the 121st Twitter feed.
The victim, who asked not to be identified, told the Advance/SILive.com his son has a swollen ear after being struck by one of the pellets. The 32-year-old was also struck in the torso but said his jacket blunted the impact of the blow.
The man said that he and his son were exiting Island Kosher Deli, located at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Carmel Avenue, when the unprovoked attack occurred.
“We came out of the supermarket,” explained the 32-year-old victim. “He stopped, shot at us and flew away.”
The NYPD had a visible presence at the store, which remained open Sunday evening, and the department could be seen canvassing the area.
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