Four Arrests In Gay Youth Center Vandalism, Police Rule: No Hate Crime

Police have made four arrests in last week's vandalism of the Long Island LGBT Youth Center, but say that the crime was not bias-related.

Police arrested three men and a woman, all from Bay Shore, Monday in connection with the vandalism and charged each of them with second-degree criminal mischief. None of the four was charged with a hate crime. Police declined to say what led them to determine the crime was not bias-related. The vandalism took place about a week ago at the center, at 34 Park Ave. Police said that they were called to the center on Monday, Feb. 2, after it was discovered that the front door to the center had been damaged -- and tires had been slashed and windows were broken on the center's 2003 Ford van. That van had been parked on the property, police said. "This type of attack against the gay community will not be tolerated in Suffolk County," Levy said in the aftermath. On Friday, state commissioner of human rights, Galen Kirkland, told a rally in Bay Shore: "When somebody is attacked because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, we're all attacked." No motive for the attack has been given. Arrested Monday were Milagro Ruiz, 21, and Gilbert R. Geigel, 20, both of 1343 Fifth Ave., Bay Shore; and Kerrond Miller-Jones, 19, and Charles Diaz, 21, both of 40 Perkal St., Bay Shore, police said. All four were charged with second-degree criminal mischief and are scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip.

Seeing that all four were adults who can presumably read, I'm wondering why the cops feel the perpetrators were not committing a hate crime when they destroyed property with the name of the center on it.