U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger stated that Beacher admitted to intentionally damaging religious artifacts due to the Islamic faith of the center's community.

In 2024, CAIR received a record total of 8,658 complaints of anti-Muslim bias across the United States, marking a 7.4% increase from the previous year.

CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut noted that the impact of the attack extended beyond property damage, instilling fear and trauma within the community.

The incident occurred amid a reported increase in bias incidents in New Jersey, as highlighted by the state attorney general's office.

The break-in occurred when the center was unoccupied, and it has been confirmed that Beacher is not affiliated with Rutgers University.

A victim impact statement emphasized the profound sense of shock and loss of safety experienced by the campus community after the attack.

During the incident, Beacher caused an estimated $40,000 in damage, vandalizing several religious artifacts and stealing a Palestinian flag and a charity box.

Beacher pleaded guilty in October 2024 to a federal hate crime of damaging religious property, with the sentencing taking place on April 1, 2025.

In addition to his jail term, Beacher will serve one year of supervised release following his prison sentence.

Court records revealed Beacher's long-standing Islamophobic behavior, which reportedly began in high school and culminated in this violent act.

The vandalism took place on April 10, 2024, coinciding with the first day of Eid-al-Fitr, when Beacher broke into the center around 3 a.m.

Jacob Beacher, a New Jersey man from North Plainfield, has been sentenced to six months in jail for vandalizing the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University during the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Fitr.