Northeast

Pride-flag-carrying suspect accused of scrawling ‘anti-Christian statements’ on 3 NYC churches

Published

4 months ago

November 21, 2025

Pride-flag-carrying suspect accused of scrawling ‘anti-Christian statements’ on 3 NYC churches

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Police in New York City are looking for a Pride-flag-carrying suspect accused of defacing three churches with “anti-Christian statements” during a 20-minute hate crime spree last month.

The suspect, who was also wearing a rainbow face covering and pushing a bicycle, scrawled “anti-gay cult” on the façade of the Refuge Church of Christ in Far Rockaway, Queens, at around 1:40 a.m. on Oct. 5, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said. Far Rockaway is the southernmost neighborhood in the borough of Queens.

Minutes later, the rainbow-clad suspect allegedly tagged the neighboring City of Oasis Church of Deliverance with the same anti-Christian message, police said. Both churches are on Mott Avenue.

In a security video released by the NYPD, the suspect was captured scrawling “anti-gay cult” in black paint on the façade of one of the churches.

ATTACKS ON US CHURCHES HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2021, REPORT FINDS

Surveillance footage released by police shows “anti-gay cult” spray-painted outside of one of the impacted churches in Queens, New York. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))

At about 2 a.m., the suspect spray-painted “Welcome Cult Members” on the wall of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church on New Haven Avenue and wrote “cult” multiple times on the sidewalks outside, police said.

The suspect also defaced two religious statues, painting over their faces, police said.

Police said the person is wanted in connection with multiple acts of criminal mischief as a hate crime and the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.

The Rev. Francis Shannon, who has been a priest at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church for more than eight years, said he was saddened to learn of the graffiti.

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The NYPD released split surveillance images showing a suspect carrying a rainbow flag and pushing a bicycle after allegedly defacing three Queens churches with “anti-Christian” graffiti during an Oct. 5, 2025, hate-crime spree. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))

“It was really heartbreaking learning about the vandalism. I was at my mother’s house, and as soon as it happened, I got sent pictures,” Shannon, 67, told the New York Post. “So when I woke up, I saw them, and it was just really sad.”

“I think this is more of a statement than a hate crime, just anti-institution kind of stuff,” he said.

A surveillance image released by the NYPD shows the suspect carrying a rainbow flag while riding a bicycle shortly before allegedly defacing three Queens churches with “anti-Christian” graffiti during an Oct. 5, 2025, hate-crime spree. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))

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Shannon said he doesn’t believe the graffiti reflects the broader LGBTQ community and urged the vandal to talk out their frustrations instead of acting out.

“I don’t think this is a big part of the LGBTQ movement since he had the flag. I think he’s just the exception,” Shannon said. “I just think he needs to talk it out and not act on it with violence.”

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.

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New Jersey

Monmouth County hospital among World’s Best Hospitals for 2026

Published

4 minutes ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Monmouth County hospital among World’s Best Hospitals for 2026

Hospitals are an important need in the world.

And finding a facility with high-quality medical care that’s reliable is also important.

Newsweek, the premier news magazine and website, has partnered with Statista to release a dependable guidance list of the World’s Best Hospitals – United States for 2026.

In it’s eight year, these ranking highlights the leading hospitals around the globe so readers can find information tailored to their needs and location the report stated.

Each hospital was reviewed and given a score based on four data sources: recommendations from medical experts; hospital quality metrics, existing patient experience data and Statista’s Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Implementation Survey.

In typical New Jersey fashion, the Garden State makes the list among the 2,500 hospitals that were evaluated this year.

Nine hospitals from the Garden State made the list with one representing Monmouth County. With an overall score of 61.79% and the Infection Prevention Award, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch made the top 9 list for roster in World’s Best Hospitals 2026 from Newsweek.

World’s Best Hospitals 2026 in New Jersey

No. 53: Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center in Morristown; overall score: 70.74%
No. 56: Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack; overall score: 70.07%
No. 134: The Valley Hospital in Paramus; overall score: 65.36%
No. 186: Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in Summit; overall score: 64.42%
No. 254: Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood; overall score: 63.13%
No. 320: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick; overall score: 62.26%
No. 364: Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark; overall score: 61.82%
No. 366: Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro; overall score: 61.80%
No. 367: Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch; overall score: 61.79%

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Pennsylvania

Pa. House committee advances bill to require radon testing and mitigation in schools

Published

46 minutes ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Pa. House committee advances bill to require radon testing and mitigation in schools

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Rhode Island

Think you’re middle class in Rhode Island? Here’s the income range

Published

52 minutes ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Think you’re middle class in Rhode Island? Here’s the income range

Your household can earn more than $160,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Rhode Island, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

Rhode Island is the state with the 17th-highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.

According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”

Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Rhode Island.

How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in RI?

In Rhode Island, households would need to earn between $55,669 and $167,008 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Ocean State has the 17th-highest income range in the country for middle-class households.

The state’s median household income is $83,504.

How do other New England states compare?

Rhode Island has the fourth-highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:

Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442

Which state has the highest middle-class income range?

Massachusetts ranks as the state with the highest income range to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually. The state’s median household income is $104,828.

Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?

Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.

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