Woman with gas canister arrested for trying to burn down Jewish school
Rabbi says arson attack is a moment to learn amid 93 per cent rise in hate crime in New York City
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A woman has been arrested in New York City after she was caught on surveillance footage trying to set alight a Yeshiva.
Police said the woman walked up to the building in Flatbush in the borough of Brooklyn last week and doused the Jewish educational building in fuel.
She then ignited the fuel and walked off, with police issuing a call for anybody with information to come forward.
Police identified the woman as being 39-year-old Sharee Jones, who was allegedly seen in surveillance footage buying petrol fluid before heading to Flatbush.
She was arrested on Sunday, according to reports, and was charged with reckless endangerment as a hate crime and arson.
A security guard at the Yeshiva told investigators that he watched what was happening and was able to extinguish the fire after Ms Jones walked off last Thursday.
There were no reports of injuries or extensive damage.
The neighbourhood of Flatbush and Midwood is home to a number of Holocaust survivors.
Rabbi Joseph Beyda told ABC7 New York that “it’s a teachable moment for all of us, and of what kind of city we want to have, and what it takes to educate.”
Simcha Felder, a New York States senator, added that it was worrying.
“As a result of occurrences like this, it just adds to the fire-if I dare say-of these occurrences happening and happening and other times when people do know what they’re doing,” he said. “That’s what we’re worried about”.
Hate crimes in New York City are 93 per cent higher than a year ago, according to figures from the city’s police department.