December 21, 2019 5:52 pm
A man broke into a dormitory at Yeshiva university and set fires, using matches intended for lighting a Menorah, the FDNY commissioner said.
No one was injured by the fires early Friday at a Yeshiva University dorm in Manhattan. Fire department officials said there was no indication the episode was a hate crime.
Suspect Peter Weyand, 33, was awaiting arraignment Saturday after being arrested on arson and other charges. It was unclear whether he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges. No telephone number could immediately be found for his family.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Firefighters responded to 119 East 29th Street in Manhattan at 3:50 a.m. on Friday, December 20, 2019, for reports of a fire on the first floor. Units arrived within five minutes. The quick response allowed Firefighters to bring the incident under control without injuries to civilians or FDNY members.
The fire department released surveillance video of a man kicking out part of a glass door to the lobby and then crawling through it, briefly picking up a front-desk phone and continuing into the building. The video doesn’t show the fires.
“Attacking any religious institution is a serious crime and we have zero tolerance for acts of arson in this city,” said Commissioner Nigro. “Thanks to the thorough investigative work of our Fire Marshals, a dangerous individual has been quickly apprehended.”
Weyand is charged with arson, burglary with criminal intent, reckless endangerment of property, criminal mischief, criminal trespass and aggravated harassment. The case will be prosecuted by the New York County District Attorney’s Office.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
