Man Made 'Terroristic Threats' At Farmingdale Spa, Plainview Church: Police

SOUTH FARMINGDALE, NY — A Deer Park man accused of making threats in Farmingdale and Plainview was arrested Tuesday, Nassau police said.

Besart Astafa, 28, entered Medwell Spa and Yoga Studio, at 34 Hempstead Turnpike, South Farmingdale, and began making terroristic threats around 1 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Customers restrained Astafa until officers arrived, and Astafa was arrested, police said.

Detectives determined Astafa was responsible for a similar incident in Plainview a couple of days prior, police said. At 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Astafa entered the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, at 160 Washington Avenue, police said. He began to assault an employee of the church and made terroristic threats, police said. The employee called police, but Astafa fled the church, police said.

Astafa was charged with one count of making a terroristic threat, one count of third-degree assault, two counts of second-degree harassment, one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, and one count of third-degree menacing.

His arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday at First District Court, at 99 Main St., Hempstead.