NEW YORK – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claimed to have arrested four individuals believed to be responsible for assaulting two police officers in Times Square last month, but three senior law enforcement officials have refuted this claim. According to the officials, the individuals in ICE custody do not match the identities of those involved in the New York attack. The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed that the four individuals taken into custody by ICE have no affiliation with the New York City investigation.
The attack, which occurred on January 27, involved several unidentified individuals repeatedly kicking and punching the officers before fleeing the scene. Seven people were initially arrested for the assault, all identified as migrants. Five of them were arraigned and released on their own recognizance, while two others faced charges of robbery and felony assault. The district attorney’s office declined to prosecute one of the individuals, citing insufficient evidence, while the other was indicted and pleaded not guilty.
The district attorney’s office also mentioned that some of the released individuals are believed to have fled New York, prompting an investigation into these allegations. According to law enforcement officials in New York, the four individuals currently in ICE custody may be in the country illegally and subject to removal, but they are not the ones charged in connection with the assault. Therefore, the search for the individuals responsible for the attack is still ongoing.
The video of the assault drew widespread outrage, prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to criticize the decision to allow the suspects to be released. In response to the incident, she emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for attacking police officers, calling for their removal from the country.
The discrepancy between ICE’s claim and the reality of the individuals in custody raises questions about the handling of the case and the search for the actual perpetrators. As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are working to ensure that the right individuals are apprehended and held accountable for the assault on the police officers in Times Square.