3 Teens Charged With Knocking Over, Spray-Painting Headstones At Brooklyn Cemetery
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Three young men were charged Monday with knocking over and spray-painting headstones at a cemetery in Brooklyn.
Bruno Camacho, 22; Edward Evseev, 21; and Mark Barrancos, 21; were charged with criminal mischief, burglary, and criminal trespass as hate crimes, police said. They were also charged with cemetery desecration, aggravated harassment, and attempted burglary.
It happened early Tuesday, Aug. 15, at the Cypress Hills Cemetery on Jamaica Avenue.
Police said the teens damaged more than 40 headstones by knocking them over and spray-painting "derogatory words," including anti-Asian slurs. They also broke into the memorial Abbey mausoleum and damaged marble stones in front of about 15 vaults, according to police.
The headstones were mostly repaired a short time afterward, but cemetery spokesperson Stacey Cullen said security was increased.