NYPD officers attacked: 2 more arrested, 5 remain at large after Times Square assault
NEW YORK CITY - The NYPD arrested two more suspects, and still seek five more, in connection with the assault of two police officers Saturday near a migrant shelter in Times Square.
According to police, Yohenry Brito, 24, and Jandry Barros, 21, were arrested Wednesday night and charged with robbery and felony assault. However, only Brito was charged with robbery and felony assault in the attack.
Concerning Barros, District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office declined to prosecute, citing a lack of evidence to prove his involvement.
So far, in total, seven people have been arrested. Police initially arrested four people, and then a fifth person Monday. They’ve been identified as Jhoan Boada, 22, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, and Yorman Reveron, 24.
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Outrage after NYPD officers attacked near Times Square; 5 arrested
Outrage is growing after two NYPD officers were beaten while attempting to break up a crowd of men outside of a migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan.
"The five individuals have since been released on bail reform and this is a troubling narrative because these people were actually migrants," said Dr. Darrin Porcher, who retired as an NYPD lieutenant.
"They brutally attacked a New York City Police officer and a lieutenant," said PBA President Patrick Hendry. "Our criminal justice system is upside down. It fails everyday."
Timeline: What happened in Times Square?
Saturday around 8:30 p.m., surveillance video showed five men and two police officers calmly interacting on camera. It appears to be an ordinary exchange until the pair of officers attempt to take down one of the men in yellow.
Surveillance video provided by the NYPD near Times Square.
According to police, that's when the encounter turned violent, starting with a kick to an officer's head.
Police said it only escalated from that point on where, moments later, the men swarmed around the officers already on the ground, striking them both multiple times.
"You saw the video," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell. "Reprehensible. Cowards."
The officers suffered minor injuries. They were treated at the scene, but are expected to be OK.
"Do you want to know why our cops are getting assaulted? There are no consequences, and we must change this," Chell said. "End of story."
So far, in total, seven people have been arrested in connection with the attack, the NYPD said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office sent FOX 5 NY a statement, in part, saying, "Violence against police officers is never acceptable. It is paramount that we conclusively identify each defendant and specify each participant’s role in the incident. Every defendant charged so far is facing felony charges that carry a penalty of up to seven years."
Gov. Hochul responds
Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked Wednesday if the suspects should be deported.
"I think that's absolutely something that should be looked at," Hochul said. "If someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York, and they're not here legally, definitely worth checking into."
Hochul went on to say so far, she hasn't been satisfied with the response. She's also looking for prosecutors and judges to do the right thing.
It’s not clear what triggered the fight, but it's part of a rising trend of city-wide felony assaults on police.
NYC crime statistics
Police reported a jump from 1,885 assaults in 2022 to 2,235 last year, representing a more than 15% spike in assaults during that period.
"It really begs the question of what is being done within the criminal justice system," Porcher said. "That not only keeps officers safe, but keep us as a community safe."
Porcher notes his concern with the potential attacks' impact on numbers on the police force in context with NYPD’s already troubling attrition rate.
"When we look to situations such as officers being assaulted and the actual offenders being released, it really creates a greater propensity for people not going to take the job as a police officer," he said.