Breaking: Daddy was visibly Jewish 💔 Those were the heartbreaking words of the daughter of 75-year-old kosher bakery owner Menachem “Max” Stark, who was found shot dead near a New York City park. His family believes he was targeted in broad daylight, but one missing minute of surveillance footage is now fueling even more questions.
The tragic and unresolved death of seventy-five-year-old Albert Itzkowitz has cast a profound shadow over the tight-knit Orthodox Jewish community of Flushing, Queens, prompting both intense grief and a fierce, public demand for justice from his surviving family members. One month after the beloved former kosher bakery owner and dedicated neighborhood volunteer was discovered fatally shot along the picturesque shoreline of Kissena Lake, his relatives have gathered to issue an emotional plea to the public, offering a substantially increased financial reward while openly alleging that the slaying was a targeted hate crime. Speaking to a gathering of reporters and community leaders near the site of the tragedy, Itzkowitz’s daughter delivered a poignant and definitive accusation regarding the motive behind the attack, stating emotionally that her father was visibly Jewish and was intentionally targeted in broad daylight. The family’s direct characterization of the homicide has intensified scrutiny on the ongoing New York City Police Department investigation, amplifying community anxieties at a time when residents are already grappling with the sudden loss of a man who spent decades serving as a central pillar of neighborhood life.
Albert Itzkowitz was a universally recognized and deeply respected figure within the local enclave, known primarily for his long ownership of G and I Bakery, a staple establishment that for years provided kosher baked goods to generations of families in Queens. Beyond his contributions as a local merchant, Itzkowitz was profoundly committed to community welfare, dedicating a significant portion of his adult life to volunteering as a first responder with Hatzalah, the specialized Jewish emergency medical service that operates across the five boroughs of New York City. His sudden and violent removal from the community has left an irreplaceable void, transforming the scenic grounds of Kissena Park from a place of weekend recreation into the center of a complex and increasingly urgent homicide investigation. On the afternoon of May 18, 2026, Itzkowitz had reportedly gone for his routine walk near the lake, a peaceful activity that ended in unprecedented violence when an unidentified assailant opened fire, striking the elderly grandfather multiple times in the back and neck before vanishing from the scene without a trace.
Despite the passage of several weeks and exhaustive efforts by local precinct detectives, the investigation into the shooting has yielded no concrete suspects, no clear weapon recovery, and no formal arrests, leaving the victim’s family in a state of agonizing limbo. In a direct effort to break the investigative stalemate and incentivize individuals with vital information to step forward, the Itzkowitz family announced that they are personally funding an increase to the official reward pool, bumping the total amount to twenty thousand dollars for any tips that lead directly to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. The family expressed deep frustration during their press conference, emphasizing that the lack of progress in identifying the shooter has allowed a dangerous individual to remain at large, posing a continuous threat to other vulnerable residents who frequent the public park. Tzvi Yonie Itzkowitz, the victim’s son, spoke alongside his sister to express the family’s collective bewilderment over how a man who dedicated his entire life to peace, charity, and communal harmony could become the target of such an unprovoked and brutal assault.
The core of the family’s public address focused heavily on the ideological undertones they believe define the attack, arguing that the physical appearance and traditional attire worn by Itzkowitz made his religious identity undeniable to anyone who crossed his path that afternoon. By declaring that he was targeted specifically because he was visibly Jewish, the family is actively pushing for the New York City Police Department to officially classify the homicide as a bias-motivated incident and to deploy the specialized resources of the Hate Crime Task Force to lead the active inquiry. Currently, law enforcement officials have maintained a more cautious public posture, stating that while all potential motives are being rigorously evaluated, the case has not yet met the formal legal evidentiary thresholds required to officially log the incident as a hate crime. This procedural distinction has become a point of contention for local advocacy groups and neighborhood residents, who argue that overlooking the potential bias element risks misinterpreting the broader safety implications for the entire Orthodox Jewish population of Flushing.
Kissena Park, the expansive public green space where the homicide occurred, has historically been viewed by local residents as a safe haven and a peaceful gathering place for families, joggers, and elderly walkers from diverse cultural backgrounds. The revelation that an elderly man could be stalked and shot multiple times in the back during daylight hours has severely shattered that sense of security, causing many community members to alter their daily routines and voice demands for increased police visibility. Local civic leaders have joined the Itzkowitz family in calling for the immediate installation of additional high-definition surveillance cameras around the perimeter of Kissena Lake, pointing out that blind spots within the park’s current security infrastructure may have aided the shooter’s escape and hindered the initial collection of forensic evidence. As the neighborhood watches the legal proceedings unfold, the overarching fear is that without a swift arrest, the community will remain paralyzed by the dual weight of unresolved grief and the persistent anxiety that anyone displaying outward signs of their faith could be similarly targeted.
The broader implications of the Itzkowitz case are also being viewed through the lens of rising regional concerns regarding public safety and the protection of religious minorities in urban environments. Community advocates note that the violence directed against an elderly volunteer underscores a broader vulnerability among senior citizens, who are often unable to defend themselves against sudden, aggressive encounters. The family’s decision to bypass standard bureaucratic channels and proactively increase the reward money reflects a growing trend among victims’ families who feel compelled to use their own platforms to maintain public interest and media momentum in unresolved criminal matters. By keeping the memory of Albert Itzkowitz in the public eye, his children hope to generate a critical lead from a passing motorist, a nearby homeowner with exterior security footage, or a park visitor who may have witnessed something unusual but failed to realize its significance at the time.
As detectives continue to canvas the neighborhoods surrounding Kissena Park, conducting interviews and reviewing transportation logs from the afternoon of May 18, the Itzkowitz family remains resolute in their pursuit of total accountability. They have emphasized that their quest will not conclude with a simple murder conviction; they are demanding a thorough accounting of why their father was selected, seeking validation for their belief that his faith played a determining factor in his death. For the hundreds of residents who once frequented G and I Bakery or relied on Itzkowitz during medical emergencies, the outcome of this investigation represents a critical test of the city’s ability to protect its most dedicated citizens and deliver justice to a family mourning a profound and senseless loss. Anyone possessing information, regardless of how minor it may seem, is urged to contact the New York City Police Department Crime Stoppers hotline to assist in bringing closure to an event that has deeply scarred the borough of Queens.
