Migrants who fled New York after being arrested and charged with attacking members of the New York Police Department (NYPD) in Times Square in a gruesome beating that was filmed have been arrested at a bus stop in Arizona.
The group of seven attacked the two officers on January 27 after a confrontation at a migrant shelter.
Of the seven originally arrested, six were charged. One was arrested at Rikers Island and the remaining five were released without bail.
Four of the five then fled New York and reportedly gave false names to help a Catholic charity get free bus tickets to California.
The four who fled to California were named by Fox as Darwin Andres Gomez, 19; Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19; Wilson Juarez, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24.
On Monday, Fox News reported that “several” of the four had been arrested in Phoenix. It is unclear which of the three escapees was caught at the bus stop.
Three of the four migrants believed to be involved in a January 27 attack on the NYPD in Times Square are pictured in Phoenix on Monday – after being stopped at a Greyhound bus stop
Darwin Andres Gomez (left) and Kelvin Servita Arocha were released without bail and are said to have tried to escape
Wilson Juarez (left) and Yorman Reveron also fled: They are accused of ganging up on two police officers in Times Square
The suspects were stopped at a Greyhound bus stop in Phoenix, Fox reported.
Venezuelan national Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday and is the only one of the suspects being held on bail at Rikers Island.
Brito was known to police for a number of previous crimes, including petty theft for stealing $275 worth of merchandise from Bergdorf Goodman in October and $139 worth of clothing from Macy's.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said the $15,000 bail or $50,000 bond was justified for him alone because Brito was positively identified on the video of the attack by a “clear tattoo.”
The sixth, Jhoan Boada, 22, is believed to have remained in New York City.
Boada was photographed raising his middle finger to the press waiting outside the courtroom after his release.
Jandry Barros, 21, a seventh suspect who was arrested, was released without charge due to lack of evidence. He also has previous contacts with authorities.
Jhoan Boada (pictured), 22, was arrested and charged with attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault
As he left the courthouse, the 22-year-old raised his middle finger to reporters and grinned
The sixth suspect, Yohenry Brito, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday and is the only one of the suspects being held on bond. He remains at Rikers Island
George Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was sharply criticized after the five were released. On Saturday, Bragg claimed his office would present evidence to a grand jury on Tuesday.
Bragg said there are 12 suspects in total.
“Our office continues to work with law enforcement to bring all those responsible for these heinous attacks to justice,” Bragg said.
“It is clear from videos and other evidence that some of the most culpable individuals have not yet been identified or arrested, and we are working hand-in-hand with the NYPD to find them and hold them accountable for their heinous actions.”
“We will not rest until every person who attacked a police officer in this horrific attack is held accountable.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has now claimed he wants to track down the migrants who allegedly attacked two NYPD officers before a judge released them without bail
When confronted by reporters about his decision on Friday, Bragg refused to elaborate and walked away without answering questions
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is ignoring questions about why he released without bail the illegal immigrants who attacked NYPD officers. pic.twitter.com/JvtYydE2bO
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 3, 2024
Police have not released the identities of five other suspects in the attack on NYPD officers.
On Friday, Bragg defended the decision to release her.
He said: “While the video is shocking and disturbing, in order to secure a conviction in court it is essential that we clearly identify each defendant.”
“In Manhattan, we do not tolerate or accept assaults on police officers.” I watched the tape this week. Disgusting behavior. It made me sick and outraged.'
The brutal attack occurred around 8:30 p.m. as officers attempted to disperse a disorderly group in front of 220 West 42 Street.
A fight broke out between a suspect in a yellow sweatshirt and the police officers.
According to the NYPD, the migrants then began attacking the officers, kicking them in the head and body while the two officers attempted to restrain one of the other men and rip his sweatshirt off.
The migrants then fled and fled east on 42nd Street toward 7th Avenue.
At around 10:44 that evening, four of them – Gomez, Arocha, Wilson and Reveron – were arrested.
They were all charged with assault on a police officer, gang assault, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct, but were released without bail.
Gomez, Arocha, Juarez and Reveron are believed to have given false names to a church-affiliated nonprofit group that helps migrants get rides out of the city, law enforcement sources told The Post.
The gang is said to have struck after being asked to carry on without police. The alleged attackers were later arrested and subsequently released without bail
Police sources confirmed the men's migrant status to the New York Post. Several of the men's addresses given by police are homeless and migrant shelters
Since taking office in 2022, Bragg has faced criticism for not seeking prison time on certain charges and for downgrading felony charges in a number of cases, including armed robbery and some drug offenses.
The refugee crisis previously affected southern border states such as Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. But the problem is increasingly impacting cities like New York, Boston and Chicago, as buses carrying thousands of migrants are sent to Democratic-run areas across the US
The humanitarian crisis has put increasing pressure on Democrats, including President Joe Biden, as the number of people crossing the border reaches unprecedented levels.
A record 300,000 migrants crossed the U.S. southern border in December, surpassing the highest number ever recorded, according to a new report.
New York City is struggling with the burden of tens of thousands of migrants arriving at its borders in search of shelters and other accommodations. In 2023 alone, the city had to cope with the arrival of more than 100,000 migrants.
Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly asked for federal aid to house and feed the city's migrants but has been turned down.
New York has a right to shelter and an obligation to house asylum seekers, but shelters are filling up at an astronomical rate.
In Manhattan, several landmark hotels have been converted into temporary shelters and shelters.
Back in September, Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “We need to get the message out that if you come to New York, you’re not going to have more hotel rooms, we don’t have capacity.”
“That’s why we also need to make it clear that we are at a border – when you leave your country, you go somewhere else.”