what to know
- The man who police say is responsible for a string of at least four brick-throwing vandalism attacks at a Manhattan gay bar has been identified and arrested, though he is not charged with hate crimes so far.
- Sean Kuilan, 34, of Manhattan, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the brick-throwing incidents, police said.
- Kuilan is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. However, at this time, the NYPD has said it is not charged with any hate crimes.
NEW YORK – The man who police say is responsible for a string of at least four vandalizing brick-throwing attacks at a Manhattan gay bar has been identified and arrested, though he does not currently face hate charges.
Sean Kuilan, 34, of Manhattan, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the brick-throwing incidents, police said. Kuilan is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and criminal damage. However, at this time, the NYPD has said it is not charged with any hate crimes related to the brick-throwing incidents.
Information for Kuilan’s attorney was not immediately available.
Video released Monday night shows the man allegedly throwing a brick at Hell’s Kitchen’s Vers bar on West 49th Street and Ninth Avenue. The video shows the suspect walking inside a cellar after the latest alleged attack on Saturday night, which occurred at the height of nighttime activity when the bar was full of patrons.
Security camera video from the bar captured the as-yet-unidentified man entering the bar and throwing a brick through the window. The cafe owner says it has become a “creepy” pattern.
“Last night and several other nights last week, a man came in with a brick and broke our window during service when there were people here,” David DeParolesa told our sister network NBC 4. “It’s one pattern. It’s the same window, it’s a brick, it’s a person we finally shot last night.”
The reinforced window absorbed most of the force of the thrown projectile, but the weekend incident was the fourth time someone has thrown something at the bar in recent weeks, DeParolesa said. The attack also occurred the same night a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and wounding at least 18 others.
“There’s a lot of fear in the community about attacks happening across the country, and we just want to make sure we provide a safe space and that’s what we’re doing,” DeParolesa said. “It’s meant to be scary, and instead of being scared, I’m emboldened and angry and ready to fight back.”
An NYPD spokesman confirmed the bar was repeatedly attacked in the past week, but no arrests were made. They are also investigating possible motives for the attacks and the case has been handed over to the Hate Crimes Task Force to determine whether hatred is fueling the incidents, police said.
