1 year ago
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MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Two men person been formally charged successful what authorities described arsenic a "developing menace to the Jewish community."
MTA constabulary arrested Christopher Brown and Matthew Mahrer astatine Penn Station connected Saturday.
Brown, 21, is from Aquebogue, Suffolk County and his household told constabulary that helium was allegedly connected his mode to the metropolis to bargain a gun.
According the complaint, Brown had been connected instrumentality enforcement's radar for spewing antisemitic hatred connected societal media, including his tweet past week wherever helium wrote, 'going to inquire a clergyman if I should go a hubby oregon sprout up a synagogue'.
One of his messages indicated 'big moves connected Friday'.
Authorities said Brown and Mahrer, 22, of New York City were carrying weapons erstwhile arrested astatine Penn Station.
"As alleged, the 2 defendants possessed a firearm, a precocious capableness magazine, ammunition, an 8" agelong subject benignant knife, a swastika limb patch, a skis disguise and a slug impervious vest, among different things. A imaginable calamity was averted erstwhile they were intercepted by constabulary officers astatine Penn Station, fixed that online postings indicated an intent to usage these weapons astatine a Manhattan synagogue," stated Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Brown was arraigned connected Sunday and ordered held without bail. Bail for Mahrer was acceptable astatine $150,000 cash.
Many successful the Jewish assemblage are already connected borderline aft a disturbing menace was made online 2 weeks agone by a New Jersey teen.
In a tweet connected Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had directed State Police to ramp up enactment for communities that could beryllium targets of hatred crimes.
Federal prosecutors are deciding whether much charges volition beryllium added to Brown's case. Both Brown and Mahrer are scheduled to look successful tribunal connected Nov. 23.
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