An all-out brawl broke out at the Amado Men’s Shelter in the Bronx.  

News 12 obtained exclusive video from multiple angles inside the shelter, showing a staff member throwing food away from a group of Venezuelan migrants staying at the facility.  

“It escalated, it started right then when he his hands together,” said one shelter resident who asked to not be named. “I was the first that they hit, they hit me here and in the back, with a chair.” 

An asylum seeker says he was just sitting at the table before it went flying, along with chairs and punches. About two minutes into the brawl, that same staff member slaps the phone out of the hand recording. Another camera captured the moments after.  

A different resident at the shelter who also asked to remain anonymous says the chaos lasted over an hour and spilled into the living areas of the shelter before the NYPD was called.  

The NYPD confirmed that one resident was arrested for assault.  

A staff member directly involved in the incident was immediately fired, according to the New York City Department of Social Services. The department gave the following statement:  

"...staff are trained to lead with care and compassion at all times and while we complete a full investigation, we are also providing a refresher training to staff on de-escalation techniques." 

The first migrant shelter resident News 12 spoke to was caught in the middle of the chaos. He says he was among a group of 20 asylum seekers transferred from the Bronx facility after the fight. He is now at a city-run facility in Brooklyn.  

"What we want is for them to give us a work permit, to work and we pay rent,” said the asylum seeker. “Work for my mom who has cancer, my wife who is pregnant.” 

If you or someone you know has had a negative experience similar to this in a New York City shelter, contact the News 12 Assignment Desk at 718-861-6800. 

Bronx residents can email our assignment desk at news12bx@news12.com.

Brooklyn residents can email our assignment desk at news12bk@news12.com.