Following the arrest of a 25-year-old man for allegedly shooting a BB gun at a father and son as they left a kosher market in Meiers Corners, New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon to denounce the incident.
Collectively, at the 121st Precinct in Graniteville on Tuesday, they also raised their concerns about the rise in antisemitic hate crimes in the city.
"A father and son, simply going to the store to buy groceries for their families, like I did the day before in my neighborhood, were shot at by someone who was acting — we believe and we will allege in court — out of hatred," McMahon said.
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.
Kish has two prior arrests, police said.
Police officials said Tuesday that Kish fired gel pellets while driving in a black Ford Mustang. They struck a 32-year-old man and his seven-year-old son at about 4:20 p.m. on Sunday in front of Kosher Island Market.
The NYPD had a visible presence at the store, which remained open Sunday evening, and the department could be seen canvassing the area, the Advance previously reported.
Detective Bureau Chief Michael Baldassano said that about an into their search for a suspect, Kish was pulled over by two police officers, but later released.
In their review of security footage of the incident, along with bodycam footage of the traffic stop, Baldassano said they determined that both mustangs had the same distinctive marking.
Additionally, a member of the community provided Ring camera footage that captured the mustang minutes after the incident, as well footage of Kish allegedly holding a pellet gun out of his driver-side window.
Adams said the arrest resulted from participation of every entity involved, "from the initial call stop that was carried out by the police officer, the detectives doing their investigation and then everyday citizens who stated that we're not going to accept hate."
Adams also stressed the impact of the incident.
"No severe injury, but emotionally, the severity is real," he said. "That young man may never walk that street again without thinking about that incident."
The mayor reiterated that hates crimes — particularly those fueled by antisemitism — are increasing across the entire country — adding that New York City has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
Councilman David Carr (R-Mid-Island), Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, and Borough President Vito Fossella, Assemblyman Michael Cusick and State Senator-elect Jessica Scarcella-Spanton were among the elected officials at the press conference Tuesday.
Representatives from The Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) of Staten Island and The Joan & Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Staten Island were also present.
"There is no room for hatred in this borough," McMahon said. "We will continue to fight hatred before it shows its ugly head in a shape of hate crime."