By The FirstA 16-year-old boy attacked a New York City police officer after being confronted for hoping the subway turnstile. The boy was previously arrested for possession of a loaded gun and robbery.
He was released the next day.
“If New Yorkers want to know why the chaos in the transit system is not improving more quickly — this is why,” said Patrick Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association union.
“The criminals underground know they can get in a brawl, choke a cop and be back out in hours. Cops are putting ourselves on the line to make the subways safer, but we are feeling abandoned by a justice system that won’t back us up.”
From The New York Post:
The teen, whom cops are not publicly identifying because of his age, jumped the turnstile at the 125th Street-Lexington Avenue station in East Harlem just before 6 p.m. Saturday, cops said. A 16-year-old girl who was with him ducked under the turnstile, authorities said.
The boy “became verbally aggressive for over 3 minutes with officers” before they attempted to arrest him, authorities said.
His arrest sparked the caught-on-video mayhem in which the boy began to punch the cop, who returned the blows.
The teen girl can be seen entering the fray to throw a couple punches at the officer before a female cop pulled her away and the girl sparred with her.
The fisticuffs left one side of the boy’s face completely bloodied.
Watch the video below:
Continue reading over at The New York Post:
