Yorktown teen arrested for hateful graffiti

Town officials, religious leaders, and other community members gathered at Yorktown Police Headquarters on Friday to address the recent arrest and call for increased education and awareness.

Chief of Police Robert Noble discussed the charges, and praised his officers for their swift investigation. He noted that it was not even a full week from the day the vandalism was reported on May 11 to the arrest on May 15. Noble said Detective James Hannigan along with Officers Colin Houlihan and Madison Cora were involved in closing the case. He said that Cora “was working midnights on the night in question” and he “came into contact and was very observant with the people who were out and about."

At around 3 a.m. on Mother's Day, Noble said that Cora observed three juveniles on bicycles and he logged that in and shared information with investigators. The graffiti wasn't observed until daylight. 

“When you're a police department, we're paid to be cynics. We're paid to run down things that just don't look right, and that's what happened here,” Noble said. “We were operating with very little to go on, and within one week's time, we closed this case—made a very, very good arrest.”

Speaking to the public, he said, they “live in a safe community and you have an outstanding police department.” 

Town Supervisor Ed Lachterman said while he is proud an arrest was made, the work is not done. He called for continued education and pointed to the town's May 1 Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony as a way to teach people about the consequences of violence and hate. The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center helps the town bring a speaker each year. 

“It's our belief that oftentimes young people commit such acts of ignorance, not out of malice,” Millie Jasper, the center's executive director, said. "Our job is to educate. 

Rabbi Yehuda Hebber of Chabad of Yorktown and Monsignor Joseph Giandurco were unable to be at Friday's press conference, but Rabbi Robert Weiner of Temple Beth Am took the moment to thank the officers on behalf of the Jewish community, not just here in Yorktown, but across the county and state. 

“I want to thank you, and I want to also recognize how truly dangerous the work is that you guys do,” he said. “You accomplished your jobs in a way that was amazingly fast. We feel truly blessed to have you supporting us and helping to make this place safe.” 

This incident was not the first of its kind. A few years ago, a similar incident occurred when current Assemblyman Matt Slater was supervisor. He said the Yorktown Police Department “proved yet again why we are one of the safest small towns in America.” 

Councilman Sergio Esposito said education starts at home and believed an incident like this one “could have been prevented through education, but the education has to start at the house."

He called on parents to speak to their children. It doesn't have to happen. “It shouldn't happen.”

Lachterman acknowledged James Martorano, the parks and recreation superintendent, and his team for their cleanup, “covering up as much as we can so people weren't affected by it, that people didn't see it.” 

He added that when an incident like this occurs it "does not mean that the people involved are necessarily even people. It does not mean that you live in a bad community. It's unfortunately, it's humanity, or lack of in some cases. 

We will stand today, tomorrow and every day to try and bring that education through, to try to work with our residents to make sure that they are in a safe community, and also that everyone is respected for who they are and what they bring to the table."