BENSONHURST — Victoria Cirillo has been a parishioner of St Dominic Church in Bensonhurst for most of her life so when a hammer-wielding vandal destroyed two of the church’s statues 11 months ago Cirillo’s sadness turned into joy on May 4 dedicated and blessed two new statues that the church had built to replace the damaged ones Teresa of Calcutta (also known as Mother Teresa) once again stand in small raised gardens on the sidewalk near the church’s entrance after an absence of nearly a year Cirillo said she is “happy” they are back because they’re an important part of the parish and because they’re a “part of [their] faith.” “We are grateful to be able to dedicate these statues today,” said Father Lynch who blessed the statues with holy water and invited parishioners to place flowers in buckets at the foot of each The satisfaction parishioners expressed at the dedication was a far cry from last year following the incident in which a vandal used a hammer to smash the faces of the statues of St Not only were the faces smashed during the June 10 incident and the glass door at the church’s front entrance was broken According to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office the case against Avila was still pending as of May 5 “A psychiatrist team found him unfit to proceed and he is being hospitalized until such time that he is found fit,” Oren Yaniv After it was decided that the fiberglass statues were damaged beyond repair the church organized a campaign to raise funds to have the new statues built Parishioners stepped forward to make donations RELATED: Statues and Doors of a Bensonhurst Catholic Church Badly Damaged in a Vandal’s Attack The fundraising effort got a boost when members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1814 in Brooklyn with which the church has a longstanding relationship many of whom expressed relief to see the statues of the two Catholic icons gracing the sidewalk again and they are very beautiful now,” said Cecilia Cataldo just as our faith sometimes gets broken and restored.” Salvatore recalled that he and his wife would often stop by St Teresa of Calcutta to say a prayer before going into church The two statues are particularly meaningful to the St “When the statues were damaged … everyone’s heart sank a little bit because not only do they render beauty to the exterior of our church,” he said “but it also symbolizes who we are as a faith community.” Teresa of Calcutta because our homeless outreach ministry is devoted to the work that she did — caring for the people on the periphery of society — and we take that to heart here at St John XXIII is admired because he was the architect of Vatican II which “brought new life into the Church,” Deacon Mammoliti said Father Lynch prayed that the lives of the two saints would serve as an inspiration to others “As we follow in the footsteps of the Lord,” Father Lynch said Your email will be used to send you The Tablet newsletter. 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Website by 345 Design ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " the Bensonhurst community was shaken by a horrific and deeply distressing act of violence and 16 years old—were brutally attacked inside their home by a relative reportedly suffering from severe mental illness NYPD dispatchers were able to pinpoint the location using emergency technology Responding officers were led inside by an uninjured child and quickly forced entry into the apartment they discovered four young victims suffering from serious stab wounds A large blood-covered meat cleaver and a second bloody knife were recovered from the scene All four children were transported to the hospital and are expected to survive A fifth child escaped the apartment and sought help from a neighbor and comfort as emergency responders arrived who was alerted to the emergency and was quickly onsite praised the heroism of the 11-year-old girl who made the life-saving 911 call the young boy who sought help despite the chaos and the numerous first responders who were there to render assistance. I want to commend the brave girl who made the 911 call I want to thank the NYPD for a quick response and there is no doubt that the young lady and the two officers saved lives today. Said Senator Chan has a documented history of mental illness Authorities are still working to determine a motive Senator Chan emphasized the urgent need for expanded access to mental health care and early intervention services It's another tragic event reminiscent of an event that happened in Sunset Park a number of years ago Mental illness affects all communities and must be addressed Senator Chan asks for local neighbors and community members to help each other and encourage those who need help to reach out The office of Senator Chan has reached out in-person and offered the resources of the office as assistance. Anyone in need of mental health support is encouraged to contact NYC Well by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL You can watch the press conference held by New York City Police commissioner Jessica Tisch following the incident: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/video/nypd-update-on-4-children-stabbed-in-brooklyn-press-conference/ For more information: CONTACT:The Office of Senator Stephen T. ChanPhone: (718) 333-0311Email: ChanInfo@NYSenate.gov Brooklyn was transformed into Philadelphia for the Peacock show “Little Bright River” starring Amanda Seyfried filming took place in Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights The show is based on The New York Times best-selling novel by Liz Moore production transformed the Brooklyn neighborhoods into the area “We brought Kensington (a Philadelphia neighborhood) to us,” Nikki Toscano the story is a suspense thriller series that tells the story of Mickey (played by Seyfried) a police officer who patrols a Philadelphia neighborhood hard-hit by the opioid crisis When a series of murders begins in the neighborhood Mickey realizes that her personal history might be related to the case who is famous for her roles in “Mama Mia,” “Les Miserables” and “Mean Girls,” is also an executive producer on the show. “If I was going to leave my family five nights a week it was going to be for something that was really important,” Seyfried told USA Today on taking the role The levity and challenge of that is really fun But this strikes so close to home for so many people with the addiction storyline Several scenes were shot along New Utrecht Avenue including the train station at 79th Street Additional footage was filmed in a home on Bay Ridge Parkway between New Utrecht and 17th avenues Community Board 11 informed area residents that sets would depict homelessness and drug use Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More were injured Sunday morning after a 49-year-old relative allegedly attacked them with a meat cleaver Authorities said they received a 911 call from an 11-year-old girl around 10:15 a.m from an apartment on 84th Street near 16th Avenue in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn the girl told authorities that her uncle had attacked her and her siblings NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference following the incident Officers responded to the home and were led to the apartment by an uninjured male child they could hear screaming coming from the apartment where the alleged attack was still actively occurring officers "encountered a man standing near the entrance holding a large meat cleaver covered in blood And they could see blood on the floor and the walls in the home,” Tisch said “Officers ordered the man to drop the weapon several times firing seven total rounds between them and striking the subject all suffered “serious slash and stab wounds,” according to Tisch They were treated at the scene and later transported to Maimonides Medical Center was also transported to the hospital in critical condition While the motive for the attack remains under investigation authorities said Chen has a history of mental illness no prior domestic violence incidents have been linked to the address Three men were arrested for allegedly entering the sewer system from the street on 17th Avenue and 82nd Street on April 14 Cops are still searching for other suspects the men reportedly opened a manhole cover and climbed down inside the sewer system Cops said one man stayed on the street and reattached the manhole cover Each of them was charged with third-degree burglary fourth-degree criminal facilitation and fourth-degree criminal mischief it was not known why they entered the sewers The Brooklyn maniac who brutally slashed four young girls with a meat cleaver is still clinging to life after undergoing emergency surgery — as sources revealed that he had been hospitalized for schizophrenia in the past was shot once in the head and twice in the torso as he allegedly lunged at cops who rushed to the bloody scene inside the Bensonhurst home Sunday morning Four children between the ages of 8 and 16 were found bloodied and slashed when police arrived — including a wounded 11-year-old girl who locked herself in a room and called 911 NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a briefing following the attacks One of the girls had her finger severed while one was stabbed in the head and neck 10 times The oldest girl was babysitting the younger children at the time of the vicious attack “People believe getting mental health treatment is a weakness “I support involuntary treatment if a person is a danger to himself or others.” “This is exactly the type of incident we’re trying to prevent,” Chan said “This horrible attack could have been prevented “The place to start is involuntary treatment.” Multiple people, including four children, were injured Sunday morning after a 49-year-old relative allegedly attacked them with a meat cleaver, according to police. Authorities said they received a 911 call from an 11-year-old girl around 10:15 a.m. from an apartment on 84th Street near 16th Avenue in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. During the call, the girl told authorities that her uncle had attacked her and her siblings, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference following the incident. Officers responded to the home and were led to the apartment by an uninjured male child, Tisch said. Inside the building, they could hear screaming coming from the apartment where the alleged attack was still actively occurring. Once inside, officers "encountered a man standing near the entrance holding a large meat cleaver covered in blood. And they could see blood on the floor and the walls in the home,” Tisch said. “Officers ordered the man to drop the weapon several times. He refused and advanced toward them. Two officers discharged their firearms, firing seven total rounds between them and striking the subject, ending the threat,” she added. The victims, four girls aged 16, 13, 11 and 8, all suffered “serious slash and stab wounds,” according to Tisch. They were treated at the scene and later transported to Maimonides Medical Center. All are expected to survive, according to police officials. The suspect, identified as Longqian Chen, was also transported to the hospital in critical condition. Charges had not been filed as of 11 a.m. Monday. While the motive for the attack remains under investigation, authorities said Chen has a history of mental illness. However, no prior domestic violence incidents have been linked to the address. Police said a kitchen knife and cleaver, both covered in blood, were recovered from the scene. Carina Finn & Neha Talreja Bensonhurst’s Chinatown is so expansive that it stretches into neighboring Bath Beach and Borough Park. One of New York’s most diverse areas—nearly half the population is of Chinese origin—Bensonhurst is mostly residential, but the main commercial area along 86th Street is packed with restaurants. The food options in this South Brooklyn neighborhood rival even Flushing, especially when it comes to Hong Kong-style and Shanghainese cuisine. You could eat out in Bensonhurst every day and constantly find new favorites. The only hard part is deciding whether to go back to a place you love, or try one you haven’t been to yet. NY 11214">.css-56eu0z{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray100);vertical-align:middle;fill:currentColor;}2048 86th St Brooklyn The walls of this Shanghainese restaurant are decorated with cute anime characters contemplating equally cute We understand the impulse to make art inspired by the food here The chopstick wrappers even offer a step-by-step guide to drawing Mr An order of pan-fried juicy pork buns looks just like the restaurant’s namesake (without the smile) This is a good choice for dim sum when you don’t want to deal with an hours-long wait 8.7Mama’s Noodle House Chinese Bensonhurst When the two chefs at Mama’s Noodle House greet you at the door get straight to the point and ask for the No juicy balls of pork and shrimp in translucent wrappers smothered in a Sichuan peppercorn sauce that will make your lips buzz get the hot pot style fish or a noodle soup There’s nowhere to sit inside this popular takeout spot but there’s a fine patch of sidewalk where you can set up shop with your food 8.7Liu's Shanghai Bath Beach Liu’s is a small Shanghainese restaurant in Bath Beach that’s in a quieter more residential area than many of the others on this guide a longer table that can seat a group of six Head here for the scallop xiao long bao and the deep-fried pork wontons which come smothered in a mind-boggling mixture of crushed peanuts 8.2Neta Shari Japanese you might get three courses of uni from different parts of the world—and that’s only part of the reason why we think it’s one of the city’s best omakase deals Though the dining room is barely big enough for the sushi bar The starters and nigiri are perfectly executed especially compared to other options in this price range which can sometimes feel like a barrage of pricey seafood or order from a more flexible takeout menu 8.0Sweet Star Bakery Superior Wonton Noodles Pho 86 Vietnamese Pho 86 is a Vietnamese spot on 86th with acid green walls and very good pho There’s a steady stream of delivery orders but pho—like mountain spring water or a freshly picked berry—is best enjoyed at the source You don’t need all of the ingredients that come in the sink-sized Extra Big Bowl The combination of bouncy noodles and the textures of five different cuts of beef (thinly-sliced eye of round and navel brisket) make this soup extremely delicious get an order of bún thịt nướng chả giò: it comes with both deep fried spring rolls and a smoky grilled pork chop 7.8Like Cafe Kowloon Cafe Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodles Little House Restoran Malaysian This is one of the best Malaysian options in the area with huge bowls of soup and curry for relatively low prices which comes with yellow noodles and a whole chicken but it's filled with dense pockets of tofu filled with meat tile-floored space almost looks like a fast casual restaurant so you’re definitely coming here to eat dinner but there’s plenty of room—so it’s also a good option for last minute Me-Do Desserts NEWS10 ABC Multiple children were slashed and stabbed in a Bensonhurst home Sunday morning Police described the bloody scene as "horrific." Police described the bloody scene as "horrific." Local restaurant owner speaks in Washington about tariff impact Knee replacement won't stop local woman from running 5k Multiple cars had their windows smashed in at an apartment complex in Watervliet last October Police just recently charged the suspect tied to this case with a felony A team is investigating Monday to see if there was any further damage to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse foundation after a tugboat and barge crashed into the monument last week New York is recognizing the deadly epidemic that’s impacted Indigenous people for generations May 5 is the National Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (M.M.I.P.) Awareness Day but the state is now acknowledging an awareness week Proposed rebates for electric landscaping equipment Mildred Elley to open new Amsterdam location Over $69K raised from 45th annual Crop Hunger Walk Registration ends Thursday for 2025 Pedal-Paddle-Run triathlon News 12 New York Download the App Where to Watch Rebuilding BrooklynNYPD: Man slashed in the face in BensonhurstThe suspect took off on a motorcycle.News 12 Staff Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations Farideh Sadeghin is a Brooklyn-based writer and recipe developer. In this series she explores New York City neighborhoods through their food and histories There is no shortage of old school and new Italian restaurants throughout New York City from Manhattan’s Little Italy to Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn But an often overlooked neighborhood with a rich Italian history is Bensonhurst in southern Brooklyn My friend Frank Pinello, chef and owner of Best Pizza His grandparents and family moved to the neighborhood from Sicily looking for opportunity and work in 1959 Pinello’s family was among an influx of Italians moving to Brooklyn around that time Today, the neighborhood is now widely considered Brooklyn’s second Chinatown, after Sunset Park, reflecting its growing Asian population known as “Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard” from 65th Street to 86th Street you’ll see Italian restaurants and shops next to Chinese restaurants and even Italian restaurants with Mandarin characters on the signs Pinello took me on a tour of Italian restaurants and grocery stores that have been neighborhood staples for decades which is technically in the neighborhood considered Borough Park It's a spot Pinello and his family have visited for years for pasta hanging from the ceiling when he'd visit during the holidays as a child The grocer first began as a deli when Domenico Coluccio moved to the United States from Calabria in southern Italy in 1958 focusing on importing products from Italy to feed other Italians in the neighborhood who needed a taste of home Luigi Coluccio holds pecorino cheese inside D We were immediately hit with the aroma of fresh cheese as we entered Luigi Coluccio was there when we arrived and showed us his favorite cheese salty Calabrian cheese (which I later purchased) which is the creamiest cheese I’ve ever tried I regretted not also buying some to take home The prep kitchen at Savarese Pastry Shoppe we headed to the nearby Savarese Italian Pastry Shoppe on the corner of 60th Street and New Utrecht Avenue who had just been pulling trays of biscotti out of the oven His tanned skin glowed as he smiled and talked quickly and excitedly while showing off the bakery's 100-year-old oven but Giurra and his brother bought the shop from the second owner in 1962 Pinello ordered a lemon ice with bits of lemon peel in it and told me he used to ride his bike to the shop as a kid a vanilla ice cream base with toasted hazelnuts throughout While I’m always happy to have Italian ice and gelato as my first meal of the day we were both hungry for something a little more substantial so we headed to Lioni Italian Heroes on 15th Avenue between 78th Street and 79th Street The entire block is lined with Italian shops with Romeo Meats (a butcher) on the corner Papa Pasquale (another sandwich shop and grocer) but we picked Lioni because it’s a spot that Pinello has been coming to for years I flipped through the menu and my brain immediately started to melt There are over 100 different sandwich varieties each named after different Italian Americans All of the sandwiches also include a catchphrase with a list of their ingredients and prices oregano and capicola — which we make a show of pronouncing as "gabagool," like Tony Soprano and which is how Pinello grew up saying it We also ordered the Alyssa Milano (a chicken cutlet fresh mozzarella and basil mix) and the Joe Pepitone (thinly sliced eggplant I grabbed a loaf of prosciutto bread (aka lard bread) which is studded with cubes of prosciutto and it’s one of my favorite things We sat outside at a table on the sidewalk to eat perfect for this kind of sandwich – the kind so large you have a hard time opening your mouth wide enough to take a bite The prosciutto on the Alyssa Milano was salty (in the best way possible) and the eggplant on the Joe Pepitone was so thin that we assumed it was cut with a meat slicer We wrapped up our leftovers and headed to 18th Avenue which Pinello said was once the heart of Bensonhurst's Italian community We first stopped at the Bari Pork Store between 63rd Street and 64th Street The shop's narrow interior is decorated with dozens of pig statues as well as red and green garland that is strung from the ceiling these shops were where you came for your sausage and the butcher was where you went for meat There used to be around six to eight pork stores between 60th Street and 86th Street Bari Pork Store is one of the last remaining The store sells all sorts of meat products now but we headed across the street on the corner to J&V Pizzeria established in 1950 by Johnny Mortillaro and Vincent DeGrezia It was the first spot in the area to sell pizza by the slice We watched as they slid the pizza into a smaller oven for a few minutes where is was reheated to crispy perfection I grabbed a can of cola because how can anyone have a slice of pizza without a soda The marinara was savory and the slice was sprinkled with parmesan and dried oregano From there, we meandered down to DaVinci Pizzeria on 18th Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets. DaVinci was opened in 1966 by Fedele Gnerre, a “self-taught pizza chef who hailed from Avellino, Italy,” according to this bio When Fedele Gnerre passed away about 22 years ago Antonio Gnerre was behind the counter the day we arrived He threw a fresh Sicilian pie into the oven then scooped Italian ice into a paper cup and wrapped it in deli paper for a customer are par-cooked with a bit of sauce in large square baking dishes before they're topped with shredded mozzarella about halfway through the cooking process along with some racing stripes of sauce across the top They’re slid back into the oven and continue to cook until the edges are crisp and the cheese has melted Antonio Gnerre cut the fresh pie into rectangles when it was done and handed a few slices to us on a tray lined with checkered red and white paper along with a pile of white paper plates and napkins Pinello and I sat in the back at a booth and enjoyed a slice taking care not to completely burn our mouths on the piping hot cheese After two slices we were ready for something sweet before our final stop a pasticceria and gelateria a short walk from DaVinci on 18th Avenue between 70th and 71st streets was originally the site of a bakery known as Alba Villabate first opened nearby on 72nd Street in 1978 Villabate took over the space and renamed it Villabate Alba Signs inside the shop point out where to go for cakes pastries,and bread versus gelato and coffee The ceiling is painted like the Sistine Chapel and religious statues line the shelves around the space Pinello ordered us each an espresso and I grabbed a cannoli for us to share Celine Dion blasted through the speakers as we went outside to stand at a high top table The cannoli filling was rich and creamy and the shell was crisp it was the perfect pick-me-up before our final meal at nearby Il Colosseo About a 10 minute walk down 18th Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets is Il Colosseo Ristorante We sat towards the front and I immediately ordered a glass of Sicilian white wine because “when in Rome” — or Bensonhurst Pinello couldn’t really focus on what to eat at this stage so I took over and ordered us an antipasto platter and arancini (rice balls stuffed with meat and cheese) to start plus vongole (linguini and clams in a white sauce) risotto Milanese and the insalata tricolore The simple salad of thinly sliced radicchio and endive and pepper was the perfect dish at this stage in our day The veal was pounded thin and the marsala sauce was creamy and sweet The Milanese was cheesy and vibrant yellow from the saffron and we were entirely too full to finish anything As Pinello drove me home (and I am thankful for a ride with all of the leftovers and breads that I “somehow” managed to acquire throughout the day) we talked about how Bensonhurst has always been a neighborhood of immigrants the area has changed considerably since his family first arrived and since they’ve left but it will always have a place in his heart It's a place he can always return to for a sandwich All of the restaurants mentioned in this article are in this Google Map, which you can save to your phone. The chef and owner of Gulaabo show us what to eat in Little Punjab: bread pakoras, kebabs and a delicious dal makhani. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. Gothamist is a website about New York City news