NYC Man Charged With Hate Crimes for Vandalizing Bagel Shop Ahead of Fatal Hit-and-Run
Dawood Faisal, already facing manslaughter charges, is now indicted for targeting a Jewish-owned business.
A Queens man, Dawood Faisal, 22, has been indicted on hate crime charges for allegedly vandalizing a Jewish-owned bagel shop twice in the days preceding a fatal hit-and-run incident. Faisal was already in custody on manslaughter charges related to the May 25 death of 71-year-old Cara Trager.
Prosecutors stated that Faisal targeted Bagels & Co., a business displaying Israeli flags and banners, on two separate occasions. The first incident occurred shortly after 6:15 p.m. on May 15, when Faisal allegedly knocked over plant stands outside the shop and hurled dirt at the building. He returned on May 23, allegedly kicking over more plant stands, throwing dirt, and uprooting greenery from a large pot.
Two days after the second vandalism incident, on May 25, Faisal was involved in the fatal collision that killed Trager. While driving his 2013 Toyota Prius at 75 mph in a 35 mph zone and running a red light, he struck Trager and her husband, Michael. Faisal fled the scene but crashed his vehicle and was apprehended by bystanders until police arrived.
Faisal was initially arrested in July for the vandalism. His indictment on hate crime charges comes after a push by Michael Trager, the victim's husband, who sought to have the fatal hit-and-run designated a hate crime, citing the earlier vandalism. "What I am alleging was that he was in a Jewish area, a very heavy Jewish area," Trager said. "And though he did not necessarily try to kill Cara Trager or injure Michael Trager or kill Michael Trager for that matter, it was a good likelihood that if he was gonna do that activity, it’s going to be more than likely hurt a Jewish person."
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz stated, "As alleged, Dawood Faisal, repeatedly targeted a Fresh Meadows business specifically because it is Jewish-owned and featured Israeli flags, and destroyed property as an expression of antisemitism. Bias crimes are an affront to our entire community and will not be tolerated."