2 Additional Arrests in Times Square Attack on NYPD Officers, 5 Still Wanted

By Matis Glenn

Police arrested two men Wednesday and are searching for five more in connection with a mob assault on NYPD officers over the weekend in Times Square, NBC news reported Wednesday.

The attack, caught on surveillance footage, occurred when three NYPD officers were attempting to break up a group of migrants who had congregated outside of a shelter on 42nd Street on Saturday night.

A group of people, estimated to be 12, began attacking the officers, grabbing and kicking them repeatedly. One of the officers , a lieutenant, sustained a face injury, and another officer was wounded in his side by the mob of attackers.

On Wednesday, police arrested Yohenry Brito, 24, and Jandry Barros, 21.

Mayor Eric Adams said in an interview with PIX11 that the city welcomes migrants, “But those who are breaking our laws, we need to reexamine the laws that don’t allow us to deport them because they’re doing violent acts.

“We cannot create an atmosphere where you’re going to bring violence in our city. But the overwhelming number of migrants and asylum seekers are waiting to have work authorization or their determination, and we need to be clear on that.”

The New York Post reports that Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday said that she thinks deportation for violent criminals is “actually something that should be looked at.”

Police arrested seven people so far, including one apparently homeless man, three New York City residents, and one man from Mississippi. They are charged with assault or attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault. Some are also charged with obstructing governmental administration.

Violence in and around migrant shelters has been a growing issue in the city, as local and state politicians scurry to find solutions for the over 100,000 migrants who have arrived in the city, mostly from Venezuela and other Latin American countries. In the city’s largest shelter, on Randall’s Island, a deadly fight broke out last month, in which three men killed another man, and were subsequently arrested.

Four of the suspects were released without bail following arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.