The Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz, announced on May 13 that a woman from Chicago has been formally charged with first-degree arson for a string of fires in Maspeth, Queens in April. The fires resulted in two injuries and damaged multiple locations including a Chinese restaurant, a funeral home, a Jewish center, and an insurance company. If convicted, the defendant could face up to 25 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, 36-year-old Shaniqua Fort committed the crimes on April 13 in the area of Flushing Avenue and Grand Avenue. She is accused of setting fire to a Chinese restaurant, which led to the destruction of the restaurant and injuries to two residents living upstairs. She then burned an American flag outside a funeral home, threw bricks at the windows of an insurance company, and threw an incendiary device at the windows of a Jewish center.
The defendant faces charges including first-degree arson, two counts of second-degree arson, two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, one count of fifth-degree arson, petit larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and other charges.
Judge Toni Cimino of the Queens Supreme Court ordered the defendant to remain in custody, and the case is scheduled for another court appearance on June 30.
According to the investigation, on the evening of April 13 around 9 p.m., the defendant approached “888 Chinese Restaurant” at 62-92 Flushing Avenue and removed a black garbage bag from a trash can in front of the entrance. She placed the bag near the entrance to the upstairs area and set it on fire before leaving.
The fire quickly spread to the residential units upstairs. One resident on the second floor broke a window to escape, resulting in severe arm lacerations; another resident jumped from a second-floor window to escape and required surgery for bilateral foot fractures, as well as treatment for finger fractures, multiple burns, and burns to the throat and nasal passages.
She then proceeded to burn an American flag outside D’Angelo Funeral Home at 64-18 Grand Avenue and threw bricks at the windows of Allstate insurance company at 65-02 Grand Avenue. She then went to the Jewish center at 66-64 Grand Avenue, where she broke windows with an unidentified object, ignited items next to the building, and threw personal items into the fire, causing the fire to escalate further.
Police apprehended the defendant shortly after she left the Jewish center on a nearby street, following a report of the incidents.