In a recent incident that has sparked controversy, a group of men, suspected to be illegal immigrants, were released without bail by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The men were facing a series of charges related to a violent assault on two New York Police Department officers. The assault occurred outside a shelter near Times Square on Saturday.
Five of the men were apprehended at the scene, while two others were taken into custody on Wednesday. The authorities are still on the lookout for additional suspects believed to have been involved in the attack.
As reported by ABC7, the confrontation unfolded around 8:30 p.m. outside the Candler Building at 220 West 42nd Street. The officers had asked the group of men to move away from the front of the migrant shelter when the assault ensued.
One officer sustained facial lacerations, while the other officer was left with body-wide bruising after being repeatedly kicked. The suspects attempted to escape, but some were caught by the officers.
The arrested individuals include Yorman Reveron, 24, Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Jhoan Boada, 22, Yohenry Brito, 24, and Jandry Barros.
Reveron, Gomez-Izquiel, Juarez, and Arocha were each charged with assault on a police officer, gang assault, obstructing governmental administration, and disorderly conduct. Boada was charged with attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault. Brito and Barros face two counts of robbery and two counts of assault on a police officer.
Reveron has two prior arrests. In November, he allegedly assaulted a retail employee during a shoplifting incident. Last month, he was accused of assaulting a Macys employee during a robbery.
Despite the charges, all the men were released without bail by District Attorney Bragg.
"Violence against police officers is never acceptable," Bragg stated after the incident. "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."
Patrick Hendry, the Police Benevolent Association's president, criticized Bragg's decision to release the alleged violent offenders, particularly Reveron, who had previous arrests.
"Attacks on police officers are becoming an epidemic, and the reason is a revolving door we're seeing in cases like this one," Hendry said. "It is impossible for police officers to deal effectively with crime and disorder if the justice system can't or won't protect us while we do that work."
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