Seven illegal immigrants who were caught on camera attacking two NYPD officers in Times Square on January 27 have been indicted by a grand jury, Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg announced Thursday.
Five of the suspects were arrested last week, while two unnamed individuals have not been apprehended. The five people whose names were released are Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, Wilson Juarez, Kelvin Servita Arocha, Yorman Reveron, and Yohenry Brito. Names for the last two remain sealed until they are arraigned in the New York State supreme court, Bragg’s office stated in a press release.
“The assault on our police officers in Times Square outraged and sickened me,” Bragg said. “We have absolutely no tolerance for this despicable behavior. Our joint investigation with the NYPD helped us determine the alleged roles of new individuals involved, including some who are charged with having committed the most violent conduct and have not yet been apprehended.”
An additional three individuals involved in the attack have not been identified yet and have therefore not been charged. The NYPD has said as many as 14 people were involved in the attack.
Video surveillance shows the group of migrants kicking the pair of police officers, sometimes in the head.
“As this thorough investigation continues, the men and women of the NYPD remain committed to working with the office of the Manhattan district attorney to ensure that everyone who took part in this despicable incident is held fully accountable for their actions,” said NYPD commissioner Edward Caban.
Brito, Gomez-Izquiel, Reveron, and Arocha each face two counts of second-degree assault and one count of second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. Jaurez and Brito are charged with one count of tampering with physical evidence. Juarez is charged with two counts of third-degree hinderance of prosecution, while Brito is charged with one count for the same offense.
Before the indictment dropped, Gomez-Izquiel, Juarez, Arocha, and Reveron were released without bail after their arrest last week and are said to be on the run. Consequently, the district attorney has been harshly criticized for the decision. Another suspect named Jhoan Broada who took part in the beating was also released.
“Over the last several days, there have been rumors that the four individuals above left the City and were taken into custody by federal authorities,” Bragg’s office said. “The Manhattan D.A.’s Office was informed by Homeland Security Investigations on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, that the four individuals they took into custody were not affiliated with the New York City investigation. To date, the Office has not received any indication from federal authorities that they have detained any individual related to the Office’s case.”
Despite releasing the five migrant suspects, Bragg said in a previous statement that his office “continues to work with law enforcement to bring everyone responsible for these heinous attacks to justice.”