Sarasota man threw brick through synagogue window 'because it was Jewish place of worship': Police

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Published July 31, 2026 2:52 PM EDT

Courtesy: Sarasota Police Department

The Brief

    • Sarasota police arrested a 30-year-old man accused of throwing a brick through a downtown synagogue's front window.
    • Investigators said Brayton Laschinger admitted targeting the building specifically because it was a Jewish place of worship.
    • Laschinger faces a felony criminal mischief charge enhanced with a Florida hate crime designation.

SARASOTA, Fla. - A man was arrested after Sarasota police say he admitted to intentionally throwing a brick through the front window of a downtown synagogue because it was a Jewish place of worship.

Sarasota synagogue vandalism arrest

What we know:

According to the Sarasota Police Department, Brayton Laschinger, 30, of Sarasota, faces a felony charge of criminal mischief to a religious building with a hate crime enhancement.

Police said the vandalism happened around 6 a.m. Wednesday at a synagogue on Cocoanut Avenue in downtown Sarasota.

Investigators said surveillance video showed a man wearing a blue towel over his head and face throwing a brick through the synagogue's front window multiple times until it shattered. He then left the area.

Police said the estimated value for repair was over $5,000.

On Thursday, investigators got surveillance video from nearby homes that showed the suspect with a blue towel over his head leaving a residence on the 1300 block of 4th Street near the synagogue. The video showed the suspect walking toward the synagogue where he picked up a brick from a nearby yard, according to SPD.

Detectives spoke with a resident who helped investigators identify his roommate, Laschinger, as the suspect.

Suspect admits motive, police say

Dig deeper:

According to investigators, Laschinger told detectives he had seen propaganda on social media earlier that morning that made him angry.

Police said Laschinger admitted he intentionally threw the brick because the building was a Jewish place of worship.

According to police, Laschinger told investigators he used a brick he found near the scene to break the synagogue's front window.

Because investigators allege the crime specifically targeted a religious institution, the charge includes Florida's hate crime enhancement.

Courtesy: Sarasota Police Department

SPD said the investigation remains active.

What you can do:

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-6070 or Sarasota Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS (8477).

The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Sarasota Police Department.

SarasotaCrime and Public Safety