New York City, NY – A grand jury indicted one of six accused migrants on Tuesday for the brutal assault on two New York City Police Department officers in Times Square on January 27. Yohenry Brito, 24, was held in custody on $15,000 bail following his initial court appearance last week and is expected to appear in court again on March 25 when the charges against him will be unsealed.
Brito, a Venezuelan national, is accused of being the ‘most culpable’ of the group arrested in connection with the attack. Four of his co-defendants allegedly fled to California, but three of them were apprehended on Monday night at a Greyhound bus station in Phoenix, Arizona. The case highlights New York’s struggle to manage the influx of tens of thousands of migrants arriving in the city in recent months.
The indictment against Brito also includes unrelated theft charges, alleging that he stole $275 worth of goods from Bergdorf Goodman in October and $139 of clothing from Macy’s. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office presented evidence in the case to a grand jury, resulting in Brito being indicted on felony charges related to the Times Square attack.
The other five asylum seekers charged with assault were previously released without bail by a Manhattan judge. Brito is being held on a $50,000 bond at Rikers Island, as the authorities identified him in video footage of the attack through a distinct tattoo.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office stated that there were a total of 12 suspects in the case, but only six have been charged. The police have not revealed the identities of the other suspects involved in the attack against the NYPD officers.
The brutal assault occurred when officers were attempting to disperse a disorderly group in Times Square. A fight broke out, leading to a violent attack on the officers, which was captured on video footage. The migrants then fled the scene after the assault, but some were later arrested.
The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the city’s ability to address the challenges posed by the growing migrant population. The case has also brought attention to the issue of migrant crime and the legal and logistical difficulties in prosecuting and detaining individuals involved in such incidents.