Story highlights
Several buildings and vehicles vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, NYPD says
Michael Setiawan, 36, a former officer, has been charged with hate crimes, police say
"This was an extremely brazen and hateful act," city councilman says
A former New York Police Department officer is in custody and faces hate crime charges in connection to a string of anti-Semitic vandalism in Brooklyn, according to authorities.
Michael Setiawan, who resigned from the department in 2007, was arrested Sunday after anti-Semitic graffiti was discovered Saturday evening in the Borough Park area of Brooklyn. Four buildings and 14 to 15 vehicles were vandalized, according to Sgt. John Buthorn.
Police would not detail the specific wording of the messages, but said that the graffiti was anti-Semitic.
New York City Councilman David Greenfield, D-Brooklyn, said the phrases were obscene and some swastikas were drawn. Greenfield added that a girls school was vandalized and that some students told their parents they are scared to return.
“This was an extremely brazen and hateful act,” Greenfield told CNN.
Setiawan, 36, is charged with 19 counts each of criminal mischief as a hate crime, aggravated harassment as a hate crime and criminal mischief.
It is not clear whether Setiawan has legal representation.
CNN’s Sho Wills and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.
