Suspect wanted for spraying NYPD agent in face with fire extinguisher

HARLEM - An on-duty NYPD Traffic Agent was sprayed in the face with a fire extinguisher in an unprovoked attack in Harlem on Thursday, police said.

Police said the NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agent, 43, was in uniform working near Saint Nicholas Avenue and West 118th Street around 7 a.m. when he was approached by a group of four people in a gray sedan.

One of the people in the sedan took out the fire extinguisher into the face of the officer and then fled northbound on Saint Nicholas Avenue. 

"Traffic agents, police officers, correction officers, those who wear uniforms. They're not the individuals. They are symbols of our stability.  When you have clowns like that, that think they can spray a person who’s doing their job with a fire extinguisher we’re going to do everything possible to catch them," Mayor Adams said.

Mayor Adams was outraged by the assault. 

Courtesy of NYPD

Police identified the individual above as Escarlin Polanco Gonzalez.

The Traffic Agent was taken to St. Luke's Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in stable condition.

Courtesy of NYPD

The NYPD is currently searching for the individual in the picture above.

In the video, FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt said you could hear one of the suspects say "lo diablo", which means the devil in Spanish.  

Anyone with information in regard to the whereabouts of these individuals is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).