Diana Rocco reporting
By Josh Einiger
Updated 54 mins ago
STAPLETON, Staten Island (WABC) -- A second church in a Staten Island neighborhood has been firebombed in a matter of days.
"We're glad they didn't play quarterback for the Jets," said Minister Dale Smith, First Central Baptist Church.
Police released surveillance video of the suspect late Thursday night.
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"I say God is still good, but we also live in a broken world. This is an opportunity now to reach out to people even more and bring people more together," Smith said.
Early Thursday morning, someone tried to firebomb his church, hurling two lit Molotov cocktails at the First Central Baptist Church of Staten Island.
The target seems to have been an office window, but the assailant missed.
One of bottles wound up on the front lawn, the other bounced against a small awning on the side of the building.
The resulting fire caught the eye of a passing ambulance crew, who called for help before it could spread.
"God's grace the damage was minimal and we're blessed no one got hurt," Smith said.
And it's the same fortunate outcome as another attempted firebombing at a church a 10-minute walk away.
"If it had landed on the pews we would have ended up with a massive fire," said Rev. Frederick Scraplau, of St. Paul's Memorial Church. "We don't have A/C so we leave the windows open to cool off at night."
St. Paul's which has stood there or 146 years, was also targeted by arsonists over the weekend.
Cops believe it's hardly a coincidence. Police are now standing guard at both churches as arson and hate crimes task forces search for suspects.
"I think it's just hate. Maybe hate of God, of churches of worship. Somebody's in pain that's doing this," Smith said.
So far, there are no arrests in either case and the damage is minor.
Right now, investigators are looking into whether the fire bombings are related.