Four suspects allegedly involved in the January 27 attack on two NYPD officers in Times Square have been apprehended in Arizona, according to CBS New York. It remains unclear whether these individuals were among those previously arrested in New York or if they were still being sought by the NYPD.
Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe, spokesperson for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed that on February 5, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and U.S. Border Patrol arrested the four individuals on a bus traveling from El Paso, Texas to the Phoenix Greyhound Bus Station. The suspects were believed to be fleeing New York after their suspected involvement in the coordinated assault on multiple NYPD officers.
On February 6, the four individuals were transferred to the custody of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for processing regarding immigration violations.
Surveillance footage released by the NYPD depicts a group of individuals attacking two officers outside a migrant shelter on West 42nd Street while they were attempting to make an arrest. Yohenry Brito, a 24-year-old, has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly instigating the attack by engaging in a physical altercation with the officers. Brito is scheduled to be arraigned in March.
A total of 13 people are believed to have participated in the assault. Brito is the only suspect currently held on Rikers Island, while five others were arrested and subsequently released without bail. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg explained that bail was not requested for these suspects due to the uncertainty surrounding their specific roles in the attack. The district attorney’s office is collaborating closely with the NYPD to establish positive identifications and strengthen their case.
