The story of Ivaylo Ivanov just gets more and more strange. First, he calls the cops saying that he was shot in the hand only to admit that he shot himself. Next, the police investigate the situation only to find a cache of assorted weapons and pipe bombs at Ivanov's residence. Now the 31-year-old ex-con admits to defacing Brooklyn Heights with swastikas last year.
Ivanov, who his lawyer says is Jewish, claims that the pipe bombs were for fishing and the weapons were for "self defense." He was charged with 46 counts of hate crimes and criminal possession of a weapon last night in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Neighbors seemed to be suspicious of Ivanov, who could be heard drilling things and said that he was "sick of all the Arabs coming in and out of the building." Rabbi Aaron Ruskin, whose synagogue was vandalized last year was relieved that they found Ivanov and his cache of weapons, telling the Daily News "There's no question that this guy could have done a lot worse."
Police found seven pipe bombs, one of which was apparently in a foam football. The NYPD was also investigating whether Ivanov had ties to terrorists, but they believe he fit the profile of a hate crime perp and acted alone.
