A month after a series of hate crimes against the LGBTQ community were reported in Norwood, police are likely looking for a burly, shadowy figure caught on surveillance video as a suspect. Meanwhile, at least one of the remaining hateful messages is still visible on the front of a Decatur Avenue building.

 

In response to an enquiry by Norwood News, on Friday, Oct. 16, NYPD detective and spokeswoman Sergeant Jessica McRorie said, “There are four anti-sexual incidents involving graffiti that occurred along 204th Street, reported on Sept. 18, that are currently being investigated as possible hate crimes.”

 

McRorie said the four locations were the area opposite 296 East 204th Street, the area in front of 320 East 204th Street, the area in front of 314 East 204th Street and the area in front of 300 East 204th Street. She added, “There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.”

 

According to the NYPD, 296 East 204th Street is the location for Jerry’s Hardware, where a Black Lives Matter / LGBTQ mural was defaced with red paint last month. Opposite the hardware store’s side entrance is McDonald’s, which is also the location of the fourth hate crime incident listed by the NYPD, at 300 East 204th Street.

 

As to the other two locations, there is a newly constructed building at 320 East 204th Street, and at 314 East 204th Street is Leroy’s Pharmacy, whose owner denied any graffiti attack took place at his business.

 

In addition to the four recent, hate crime incidents which were reported to the NYPD in September, local residents also saw other property defaced with hate messages along Perry, Hull and Decatur Avenues between Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, though these incidents were not reported to police.

 

Now, one month later, residents walking past 3105 Decatur Avenue can still see at least one remaining, hateful message written by the burly, shadowy figure and caught on the building’s surveillance video. The man wrote, “Die of AIDS [expletive].” A second message that was almost completely removed with a power washer read, “Make NY straight again.”

 

One resident of 3105 Decatur Avenue recalled the day he first saw the hate message, saying, “I came out here, and the first thing I saw was the police. Then I saw it [the message] and watched as police questioned some people in front of the grocery store.” Looking at a second spray-painted message on the building, the resident continued, “I didn’t even read that, but I saw this. I was so disgusted with this. This is America and you can live your life whatever way you want to live.”

 

The resident continued, “They’re not only attacking the homosexual population. You’re also attacking all of the tenants here who pay good rent, and this is a pretty fair neighborhood, that has all different nationalities, and everyone pretty much comes and goes and minds their business, so for someone to do that is crazy.”

 

The resident concluded, “The ironic thing was I had a lady friend come see me and she actually commented – she’s from the rough projects of the Lower East Side – she was talking about how the neighborhood is so diverse and it’s pretty quiet, and nobody bothers you, and everyone does their own thing, and then a week later, to see this; it was crazy.”

 

The Super of the Decatur Avenue building said the NYPD was given a copy of the surveillance video, even though the address isn’t one of the locations listed under the four incidents being investigated. “I have the video, but you can’t see anything to be honest,” the Super said. “But they did the whole block though, not just my building,” he said of the NYPD’s investigation. “Yeah, they hit a lot of buildings.”

 

A rally and repainting of the mural at Jerry’s Hardware was held on Saturday, Sept. 19, and was attended by Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez as well as at least three candidates currently running in the 15th City Council District race, Ischia Bravo, Elisa Crespo and Kenny Agosto, each of whom aim to replace Councilman Ritchie Torres.

 

A person, who asked not to be identified, and who had knowledge of the painting of the Black Lives Matter / LGBTQ mural in July, spoke to Norwood News on August 21. Referring to a business located in the vicinity of the mural, the person said, “The customers have been saying, ‘What’s up with that mural? That’s not for this block,’ and that they didn’t want it here.”

Recalling the period during which the mural was originally painted in July, the person said, “When they put it up, a lot of people didn’t want it here, and some threats were made against the mural.”

 

When volunteers later repainted the mural on Sept. 19, covering over the hate messages, Sasha, (they/she/he) the founder and co-director of Black Trans Media, said, “We got support from the family that owns this store,” referring to Jerry’s Hardware store. “They’re in solidarity with Black trans people who have been experiencing a lot of violence.”

 

Sasha said the trans community were not surprised by the vandalism, adding, “We put this up three months ago and we were surprised it took that long for someone to come deface it, because people are very hateful.”

 

In reference to the NYPD’s general approach to investigating hate crimes, Sasha said, “Even in this case, they said they wanted to investigate and check if it’s a hate crime,” adding, “We know that they haven’t been here to keep our folks safe.” They then confirmed that the NYPD told them that the agency was indeed investigating the incident as a hate crime.

 

Meanwhile, Agosto, district leader of the 80th assembly district and the first openly gay elected official in the Bronx, spoke to Norwood News on Saturday, Oct. 3 about the incidents last month and the subsequent show of solidarity displayed following the attacks, referencing the anti-hate rally held on Saturday, Sept 19 in Norwood.

 

“We are united,” he said. “On that day [Sept. 19], all of the candidates for office who are running, the LGBTQIA-plus community was united against violence. There’s no place [for it] in our neighborhood, and we’re going to continue. When someone does something, we’re going to paint it over.”

 

Destination Tomorrow is the only LGBT center in the Bronx with the unique experience of working hand in hand with members of the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming community (TGNC) community. The center provides housing, social support, and employment related services. Its goal is to act as a resource not only to TGNC community members, but also to those in the borough who are looking to work with or understand this community.

 

Anyone wishing to obtain more information about the agency can do so by accessing their website at www.destinationtomorrow.org.

 

Agosto added, “We’re going to march for our communities’ rights and we’re going to do what we need to do. We’re also here to support our institutions, so we have Montefiore that runs a HIV prevention program and pantry. We need to support those things as well as Denays House and Destination Tomorrow that services our many trans people of color in our community.”

 

To report a hate crime in progress or any emergency, call 911. Non-emergencies should be reported to the local precinct.

 

For general questions about the work that the New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes is doing, New Yorkers can email OPHC@cityhall.nyc.gov or visit nyc.gov/stophate.