8 NOVEMBER 22, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Kids
disciplined
after
threat made
at Glen. school
Photo: Google Maps
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
A local lawmaker is looking
to give parents peace of
mind aft er a threat was
made to a Glendale school over
the weekend.
A student from P.S./I.S. 113
reportedly threatened to bring
a gun to the school the next day
on Snapchat. Following many
posts of concern on social media,
Councilman Robert Holden spoke
out online to address the public’s
concerns.
“Over the weekend, police received
reports that a verbal threat
was made by a student at P.S./I.S.
113 that was deemed to be not
credible. I was up all night coordinating
with the 104th Precinct
and District 24 superintendent
to ensure that the necessary precautions
were being taken,” said
Councilman Holden on his Facebook
page. “We take any and all
threats to our schools, students
and faculty extremely seriously.”
The two students were issued
juvenile reports by police.
QNS has reached out to the
DOE for comment. Anyone with
concerns about the incident can
call Councilman Holden’s offi ce at
718-366-3900.
Homeless man in R’wood froze to
death during storm: church
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
AND ROBERT POZARYCKI
EDITORIAL@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
A Ridgewood church says that the
man who was found dead on a
neighborhood street on Friday
morning was homeless and froze to
death during yesterday’s storm.
According to authorities, at 9:10 a.m.
on Nov. 16 offi cers from the 104th Precinct
responded to a 911 call regarding
an unconscious male in front of 66-95
Forest Ave. Upon their arrival, they
found a 44-year-old man unconscious
and unresponsive.
EMS responded to the location and
declared the victim dead at the scene.
Police indicated that the victim had no
visible injuries and could have possibly
been intoxicated.
The victim’s identity is being
withheld pending proper family notifi
cation, but members of the Hungry
Monk Rescue Truck — a homeless
outreach program operated by the All
Saints Catholic Church in Ridgewood
— stated that the individual was a
homeless man named Arek to whom
they ministered.
“This morning we got notice that
one of our beloved homeless street
partners died on the street last night.
Arek froze to death in the rain, on the
corner under the train,” Hungry Monk
stated in a Facebook post. “The place
that he called Home. Rest well in the
eternity that promises us no suff ering,
no poverty, no injustice!”
Councilman Robert Holden also
took to Facebook to mourn Arek’s
passing, and also repeat his support
of local faith-based organizations that
provide assistance to the homeless.
“I was very sad to learn that Arek
was found unconscious on Forest
Avenue this morning. This is a tragic
reminder that there are less fortunate
who desperately need our help. R.I.P.
Arek,” Holden wrote. “As we draw
closer to the colder months, please be
mindful of any homeless who may be
in danger. There are city agencies and
nonprofi ts who can help them.”
The medical examiner will determine
the cause of Arek’s death. The
investigation is ongoing.
photo via Facebook/Hungry Monk Rescue
Truck
Midville man indicted for
anti-gay Brooklyn hate crime
BY JOSH TOWNER
EDITORIAL@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
A Middle Village resident has
been indicted on hate crimes
charges for shouting anti-gay
slurs at, and then assaulting a gay couple
in Brooklyn back in September.
Brandon McNamara, 25, of
70th Street in Middle Village was
arraigned on Nov. 14 in Brooklyn
Criminal Court on the indictment
charging him with assault, menacing
and aggravated harassment as
hate crimes, according to Brooklyn
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
McNamara was ordered to return
to court Jan. 16, 2019. He faces up to 15
years in prison if he is convicted of
the top count, Gonzalez said.
According to law enforcement
agents, McNamara allegedly called
the victims, ages 29 and 30, a homophobic
slur before knocking both
men unconscious just aft er midnight
on Sept. 23 in front of a Metropolitan
Avenue location in Williamsburg.
The 30-year-old suff ered a fractured
and dislocated left shoulder,
while the 29-year-old suffered a
broken fi nger.
Photo via Shutterstock/Inset courtesy of NYPD
McNamara turned himself into
police on Sept. 26 aft er the NYPD
released an image of McNamara to
the press in an eff ort to track him
down, authorities said.
“This defendant allegedly assaulted
an innocent couple simply because he
perceived they were gay. Crimes that
target individuals because of their
sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion,
gender, or other identity are a
threat to everything we stand for here
in Brooklyn. The defendant has now
been indicted and we intend to seek
justice for the victims,” said District
Attorney Gonzalez in a statement.
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