Police have not named a suspect more than a month after Albert Itzkowitz was found shot near Kissena Lake.
QUEENS, N.Y. — The family of Albert Itzkowitz, a 75-year-old former kosher bakery owner found shot dead near Kissena Lake, is pressing for answers as police continue a homicide investigation with no arrests announced.
Itzkowitz was found May 18 along the shoreline in Kissena Park in Flushing. Police said he had gunshot wounds to the neck and back and was pronounced dead at the scene. His relatives have said they fear the killing may have been driven by hate, but the NYPD has not publicly classified the case as a hate crime.
Police found Itzkowitz unconscious and unresponsive at about 4:55 p.m. near the lake, a quiet area used by walkers, families and neighborhood residents. The medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide. Investigators have not said how long he had been there before officers arrived. No weapon, suspect description or motive has been released publicly.
Itzkowitz was known in Queens for G&I Kosher Bakery, a longtime Main Street business in Flushing before it closed. He was also described by community members as a former Hatzolah volunteer, a father and grandfather, and a familiar figure in the Orthodox Jewish community. Relatives said his wallet was still with him, raising questions about whether robbery was the motive.
The reward for information in the case has been increased to $20,000 as investigators seek help identifying who killed him. City Council member James Gennaro said the killing was an “intolerable tragedy” and said police assured him that resources had been deployed to find whoever was responsible. Council member Sandra Ung said her office had been in contact with the 109th Precinct.
The killing came during a period of concern about antisemitic incidents in New York City. Police data cited in local reports showed 41 antisemitic hate crimes reported in May, up from the same month a year earlier. Investigators have said the Itzkowitz case remains open to all possibilities, while family members continue to ask why anyone would target him.
More than a month after Itzkowitz was found dead, police had announced no arrests. The next milestone in the case is whether detectives identify a suspect, recover video or witness evidence, or publicly determine a motive.
Author note: Last updated June 25, 2026.