A man has been arrested after authorities say he carried out a series of Molotov cocktail attacks targeting two churches in Queens late Wednesday night, with investigators also examining whether the case is connected to similar incidents reported in the area last month, as reported [1] by The Post Millennial.
According to police, the suspect is a 36-year-old man who has not yet been publicly identified.
Investigators said he was captured on surveillance video allegedly throwing incendiary devices at Iglesia Bautista El Mesias in Ozone Park and a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in nearby Woodhaven.
The first incident occurred shortly after 11:35 p.m. Wednesday outside Iglesia Bautista El Mesias on 75th Street in Ozone Park.
Police said the suspect was seen speaking with several people outside the church before pulling a Molotov cocktail from his belongings, lighting it, and throwing it toward the building’s front entrance.
Investigators said the device exploded after striking the front door. Despite the explosion, authorities reported that the church did not sustain any damage.
The suspect then allegedly traveled to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Woodhaven, where police say he launched a second Molotov cocktail at the building.
2 NYC churches firebombed last night
Police are not naming the suspect pic.twitter.com/NCOR3CpjDz [2]
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 9, 2026 [3]
According to investigators, the incendiary device bounced off the structure before landing on the ground. Officials said the second building also escaped without damage.
Authorities said a third building was targeted during the incident, although it likewise sustained no damage.
Pastor Alex Garcia of Iglesia Bautista El Mesias expressed disbelief following the attack.
“I have no words because, like I told you, we have no enemies; the church is growing. I cannot say anything because we have no enemies, so I don’t know where this is coming from,” Garcia told ABC 7 News.
Police quickly launched an investigation after the attacks and located the suspect approximately 35 minutes later.
According to authorities, officers arrested the man around 12:10 a.m. Thursday.
During the arrest, investigators recovered two additional Molotov cocktails that police said were inside the suspect’s bag. Those devices were seized before they could allegedly be used.
Authorities have not announced a motive for the attacks, and the suspect’s identity has not been released publicly.
Police said criminal charges are pending.
According to the New York Post, investigators are also examining whether the incident is connected to similar attacks reported in the same area during the previous month.
Officials have not announced whether evidence has established a direct link between those cases.
The suspect is expected to face federal charges in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement officials continue reviewing surveillance footage, collecting evidence from the scenes, and determining whether additional incidents may be connected to the suspect’s alleged actions.
No injuries were reported during the attacks, and authorities said none of the targeted buildings suffered structural damage despite the explosive devices being thrown at the properties.