Parishioners at a Brooklyn Roman Catholic church are still reeling from
shock after an alleged racial-hate attack on a priest who had just
arrived from Nigeria.
Police say a bat-wielding white man identified as Joseph Mattarelliano
attacked Rev. Uriroghene Okrokoto of the Good Shepherd Roman Catholic
Church in Marine Park.
"Go back to the projects! Or your neighborhood in Flatbush where you came from, Otherwise I’m gonna split your head,"" railed Mattarelliano, 25, according to police sources."What are you doing in my neighborhood? Did you make money?” Mattarelliano, asked the priest. "Leave this f—ing neighborhood, you f—ing n—er."
Sources reportedly Okrokoto answered, “If you have a problem with me, you should call the police.”
Mattarelliano sped off in his SUV — but Okrokoto got the license-plate number.
Okrokoto was not wearing clerical garb when the man approached him on Jan. 13 at 3:45 a.m. at Avenue T and Ford Street. Mattarelliano surrendered Friday at the 61st Precinct station house. He was charged with weapon possession and menacing as a hate crime.
Janet Subrizi, a lifelong member of the church who works in its office, said Okrokoto was ordained in June and goes by “Father Melchizedek.” Subrizi said she and another parishioner drove him around the neighborhood when he was first assigned to Good Shepherd, showing him where to catch the subway and local buses.
"Knowing him, I think he would pray for the person and not hold any kind of fear or any kind of hurt in his heart against that man," Subrizi said. A spokesman said the Brooklyn Diocese was happy to hear there’s been an arrest.
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