The suspect fled the scene as flames engulfed the bar, according to police. 'Our hearts go out to the team at Rash and the entire LGBTQ+ community of Bushwick,' Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement on Twitter. 'While this incident is still being investigated, make no mistake: anyone who comes into my city looking to spread fear and hatred will pay the consequences.'Ĭlaire Bendiner, a co-owner of Rash, had just stepped outside the bar to have a cigarette when they heard screaming and saw flames through a glass door. They called 911 as a bartender, DJ and security guard who were inside rushed out. 'I don't think we've fully processed it.' 'It's just devastating,' said Bendiner, adding that they are struggling with anxiety and trouble sleeping. Police and Bendiner said two people were injured in the fire.īefore the blaze broke out, the security guard asked the man what he was doing and the suspect said the liquid he was pouring was water and identified himself as a cleaner, Bendiner, 32, said. They said the fire was started not long before a large crowd was expected to come in for a party. It's unclear what motivated the attack on Rash, which opened five months ago and has become a space for the LGBTQ and artistic community. 'We have theories, like maybe it's because we're a queer space and homophobia or it could be like a disgruntled customer from the past,' Bendiner said.
