A migrant who allegedly attacked two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers was released from jail after a church paid for his bail.
Yohenry Brito, a 24-year-old Venezuelan migrant, is the “most culpable” of the seven migrants accused of assaulting the pair of officers in Times Square on January 27, according to police.
However, he walked out of jail yesterday after Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge put up the $15,000 for his bail.
“Our church is basically a sanctuary,” Rev. Juan Ruiz said.
A church has granted bail to a migrant who beat up two NYPD officers
|Wikipedia/NYPD/X
“We assume that people are innocent until they are proven otherwise,” he told The New York Post.
He claimed that “there is a lot more than what is being publicised”.
The 24-year-old, who was being detained at Rikers Island, is not staying at the church, the pastor has said.
Police previously arrested four of the accused thugs at the scene, identified as Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24.
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Brito, 24, and Jandry Barros, 21, were arrested four days later.
All six, bar Brito, had been charged with assault on a police officer and obstructing governmental investigation and were released without bail.
A seventh suspect in the gang attack, 18-year-old Yarwuin Madris, was arrested this week and also charged, becoming only the second member of the migrant mob to be jailed.
The gang reportedly arrived in the city late last year. They have supposedly been living at city migrant shelters and have no work permits or known relatives in New York.
The men were part of a gang of migrants who fought with two cops in Manhattan, with video footage showing a scuffle breaking out after the mob were told to move along.
Many are now calling for harsher enforcement and accountability following the New York assault which left one officer with facial cuts and the other with bruises.
Many are now calling for harsher enforcement and accountability | NYPD/ XChief of Patrol John Chell said: “The video speaks for itself. I’m proud of what they tried to do. They stayed in the fight, but eight on two is hard.”
The suspects should face “consequences for your actions,” he added. “They should be sitting in Rikers, they should be indicted this week and have their day in court and go to jail.
“You want to stop the assault on our cops? This is where it begins.”
However, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg defended the decision to release them.
He said: “While the video is shocking and disturbing, in order to secure convictions in the court of law, it is essential that we conclusively identify each defendant.
"In Manhattan, we don't tolerate or accept assaults on police officers. I watched the tape this week. Despicable behaviour. It sickened me and outraged me.”