🌱 Released Rape Suspect Commits Murder + Hyper-Speed Car Thieves

Good morning, Queens! ☕️

• Police released a suspect in a Gowanus rape case who went on murder a woman shortly thereafter.
• Catalytic converter thieves steal car parts in four short minutes.
• Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed Calypso King of the World, baptized.

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🌧 A shower and☔️ t-storm; humid. High: 80 Low: 69.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our Queens Daily readers to local businesses they need to know about. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

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Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. One month after the NYPD released a suspect in a Gowanus rape case, the same man killed a nurse in Queens, and raped another woman in Los Angeles. New details have emerged in the case of Danueal Drayton, which explain how authorities fumbled their chances to stop him before he murdered nurse, Samantha Stewart. It was six days after the Gowanus rape was first reported on June 18, 2018 that authorities started looking for the suspect. This non-urgent pace is a common complaint of sexual assault victims, many of whom have experienced delays in their investigations. On June 30, twelve days after the crime, Drayton was arrested in Brooklyn for jumping a turnstile, but he was released on July 5 since no one had yet connected him to the rape. Then, on the night of July 17, twelve days after Drayton's release, NYPD responded to a 911 call from Samantha Stewart's father who found her dead in her bedroom in Springfield Garden, Queens.

New York Times

2. Recent surveillance video from a Whitestone home shows two catalytic converter thieves in action. The 2 a.m. footage shows the men getting out of a white two-door sedan, grabbing a jack from its trunk, and approaching a 2003 Honda Accord. As the sedan drives off, the men use the jack and a power saw to lift the Honda and remove its catalytic converter. As the Honda's alarm goes off, the white sedan returns, and the thieves leave the scene with their stolen goods. The entire heist was carried out in about four minutes. According to NYPD statistics, catalytic converter theft has surged 272% compared to the same period last year. Thieves value these parts because the rare metals they contain can fetch high prices at junkyards.

New York Post

3. On Saturday, Mighty Sparrow, the undisputed Calypso King of the World, and current resident of Queens, was baptized at Far Rockaway Beach. The 87-year-old singer, whose real name is Slinger Francisco, wore all white for his water baptism, according to the Searchlight newspaper in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. "He is now known as Brother Francisco (and is) a member of the Linden Seventh Day Adventist Church in New York," the Searchlight said.

Caribbean National Weekly

4. Three thieves armed with handguns robbed a Queens cellphone store in a daylight attack, police said Saturday. The incident, which occurred shortly before 7 p.m. on August 26th, took place at the AT&T store on Roosevelt Ave near 59th street in Woodside. After entering the store, the thieves forced the 32-year-old manager into a back room where they had him open a safe. After it was opened, the thieves emptied the safe's contents into a duffle bag and fled. They made off with roughly $60,000 in cellphones and related accessories. There were no injuries. Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is urged to call (800) 577-TIPS.

NY Daily News

5. Many longtime residents of Queens know the famous Forest Park Carousel. However, not all know the story behind its unseemly demise and triumphant revival. Built in 1923 by renowned carousel carver Daniel Muller, the original Forest Park Carousel entertained local families until 1966, when it was destroyed in a fire. In 1972, after much pleading from residents and elected officials, the city government purchased a new carousel from a shut-down amusement park in Massachusetts, and in 2013, it became an NYC Historic Landmark. In 2014, the carousel was dismantled, and so began the complicated process of refurbishing the nearly century-old machine. This past spring, after a long and bumpy ride, the restored, repaired, and landmarked carousel was put back together. As the summer draws to a close, don't miss the chance to hop aboard before the carousel closes for the season!

QNS

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🗞 Hungry for more news? 🍴 Snack on these headlines :

• Teen shoots Queens man trying to stop fight at baby shower (NBC New York)
• Cape Cod wash-ashore tells of leaving Queens, N.Y. (Cape Cod Times)
• 17-year-old girl shot and killed while sitting in car in Queens (New York Post)
• NYPD looking for hit-and-run driver who killed 5-year-old (Fox News)
• Armed home invaders ambushed Queens woman at her front door (NBC New York)

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👀 Looking for something to do today in Queens? 🔭 Look no further:

• Deana Lawson Exhibition MoMA PS1 (12 p.m.)
• Tiki Disco at Knockdown Center (2 p.m.)
• Yoga for Surfers at the Women's Surf Film Festival (4:30 p.m.)
• United Sherpa Association (USA), Inc. presents TseChu Puja (5 p.m.)
• Big Apple Elements of Hip Hop Culture Fest (7 p.m.)
• Opening Night Celebrations & Film Screenings at the Women's Surf Film Festival (7 p.m.)

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From my notebook:

• Queens Botanical Garden is OPEN today: "The Garden is OPEN on Labor Day, Monday, September 5, 8am-6pm. While you're here, spot out our recent botanical highlight of Ricinus communis AKA castor bean.Oliver Lopez #FacesofQBG #RicinusCommunis #CastorBean #NYCFall #QBGBotanicalHighlights #ItsTimeForNYC #FlushingNYC #QueensNYC #ItsInQueens #QueensBotanicalGarden #PeoplePlantsCultures" (Queens Botanical Garden via Facebook)
• Get ready for SINK OR SWIM: "The 2022 Socrates Annual SINK OR SWIM: CLIMATE FUTURES Saturday, September 10, 2022 – March 12, 2023 Opening Celebration: Saturday, September 10 | 3 – 7pm In conjunction with New Agora Featuring Cheyenne Concepcion (@cheyenneconcepcion) Sean Desiree (@seandesireestudio) Koyoltzintli (@koyoltzintli) Randi Renate (@randiirenate) Daniel Shieh (@danielshieh) 'Sink or Swim: Climate Futures' The 2022 Socrates Annual presents five projects addressing the urgency, enormity, and challenges of climate change. The traditional sink or swim metaphor imagines a situation where an individual is left on their own to succeed or fail, but the current climate crisis demands a rejection of individualistic thinking and an emphasis on collective action. These artists tackle how the matrices of race, gender, and class may intersect a green future and what we can learn from historically vulnerable, but thriving communities to help navigate this challenge. Join us for an opening celebration on Saturday, September 10, from 3 – 7 pm. The Fellows will lead a tour and Q&A, alongside a performance by Koyoltzintli at 6pm. Learn more about our 2022 Fellows & 'Sink or Swim: Climate Futures': https://bit.ly/3KAp4JO . . . Images: Courtesy of the Artists . SUPPORT Major support for The Socrates Annual Fellowship & Exhibition comes from the New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowships, the Devra Freelander Artist Fund, the Jerome Foundation, and public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by the Cowles Charitable Trust. . #SinkOrSwimAtSocrates #SocratesFellows #TheSocratesAnnual #ArtistFellowship" (Socrates Sculpture Park via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Emma Radu Fighera

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Queens Daily? Contact me at queens@patch.com