Surveillance cameras captured shocking moments inside the grounds of a Catholic church in Queens after a masked man reportedly entered the property at night, pulled a hammer from his clothing, and repeatedly struck a statue of the Virgin Mary before fleeing the scene.
The incident occurred at around 1:42 a.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026, inside the grounds of St. Rita Roman Catholic Church in Long Island City, Queens, New York City.
Surveillance footage shows a person wearing a mask jumping over the church’s wall and heading directly toward the statue located in the courtyard.
After approaching it, the man pulled a hammer from his pants pocket and began violently striking the statue, causing it to fall from its base and leaving its head broken, according to photos and information released by the Diocese of Brooklyn, which also oversees Catholic churches in Queens.
After the attack, the man returned to the wall, jumped over it, and walked away from the area. The church did not report any injuries to people at the scene.
NYPD Investigates the Incident as a Possible Hate Crime
The Diocese of Brooklyn announced that the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the attack in an effort to identify the masked suspect and determine why the religious statue was targeted.
As of the time of publication, authorities had not announced an arrest in the case. It also remains unclear whether the attacker was familiar with the church or whether the statue was targeted because of religious motives or for another reason.
The fact that police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime does not mean that the classification has been legally established. Investigators are still gathering evidence and reviewing surveillance footage to determine the motive and whether additional charges may be appropriate.
The Fourth Attack Targeting the Church
The destruction of the Virgin Mary statue was reportedly not the first act of vandalism targeting St. Rita Church.
According to the Diocese of Brooklyn, it was the fourth reported vandalism incident involving the church since 2024.
Previous incidents reportedly included the destruction of a stained-glass window that was around 60 years old, the vandalism of a statue of St. Francis of Assisi accompanied by writing on the surrounding sidewalk, and damage to a statue of St. Jude inside the church.
In one previous incident in March 2026, a statue of St. Francis was found covered in blue paint, while a word meaning “pagan” had been written on the sidewalk. During a separate incident that same month, the statue of St. Jude was reportedly struck inside the church.
Authorities have not announced evidence proving that the same person was responsible for all of the incidents. Any connection between them therefore remains a possibility under investigation rather than an established fact.
Church Asks Public to Help Identify the Masked Suspect
The church hopes that the surveillance images, the suspect’s clothing, and his movements may help investigators identify him, despite the fact that he deliberately covered his face during the intrusion.
The incident has sparked anger and sadness among members of the church—not only because the statue was destroyed, but also because it occurred amid a series of repeated attacks on property and religious symbols at the same location.
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