NEW YORK CITY POLICE INVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING TO TRACK DOWN YOUNG ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS – IN CONNECTION TO AN ATTACK ON UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS IN TIMES SQUARE.
NYPD COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH SAYS ON FRIDAY NIGHT, OFFICERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO THWART AN ASSAULT IN TIMES SQUARE WHEN THEY WERE ATTACKED BY A GROUP OF YOUNG INDIVIDUALS.
“THE OFFICERS ENGAGED THE GROUP AND ATTEMPTED TO BREAK UP WHAT APPEARED TO BE A WOLFPACK-STYLE ROBBERY. INSTEAD, THEY WERE AMBUSHED, PELTED WITH SCOOTERS, BASKETBALLS, AND OTHER MAKESHIFT WEAPONS. THIS WAS A TARGETED ATTACK, PLANNED, DELIBERATE, AND CARRIED OUT WITH INTENT. AND IT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.”
THE OFFICERS ARE OKAY.
INVESTIGATORS ARRESTED SEVERAL SUSPECTS – THE YOUNGEST – JUST 12 YEARS-OLD, ACCORDING TO POLICE.
THREE OF THE SUSPECTS ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND CONNECTED TO PREVIOUS CITYWIDE ROBBERIES.
COMMISSIONER TISCH SAYS THEY’RE FACING SERIOUS CHARGES INCLUDING ATTEMPTED FELONY ASSAULT, INCITING RIOT AND RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT.
AUTHORITIES BELIEVE MANY OF THE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS ARE PART OF THE LOS DIABLOS 42 GANG – A SUBSET OF VENEZUELA’S VIOLENT TREN DE ARAGUA GANG – AND OFTEN TARGET VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS, SOMETIMES OTHER MIGRANTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE, AND SURROUND THEIR VICTIMS IN ORDER TO ROB AND ASSAULT THEM.
MAYOR ADAMS SAYS MEMBERS OF THE LOS DIABLOS 42 GANG HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OTHER NEW YORK CITY ROBBERIES.
“THAT’S WHY WE SAID WE CAN’T ALLOW THEM TO TAKE A FOOTHOLD. CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING IN CENTRAL PARK AND HAVING TWENTY PEOPLE SURROUND YOU? OR YOU’RE SITTING ON THE SUBWAY STATION, ON THE TRAIN, AND HAVING THIRTEEN PEOPLE SURROUND YOU. HOW INTIMIDATING THAT IS. THESE GUYS ARE SHOOTING, THEY’RE ROBBING, THEY’RE COMMITTING CRIMES, AND THEY HAVE A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.”
AUTHORITIES SAY SEVERAL SUSPECTS CONNECTED TO THE RECENT ATTACK REMAIN AT LARGE.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN TARGETED IN TIMES SQUARE. IN JANUARY 2024, A GROUP OF MIGRANTS ASSAULTED UNIFORMED OFFICERS AS TWO OFFICERS ATTEMPTED TO APPREHEND A MAN.
