2 men plead not guilty in brutal stabbing, robbery of off-duty NYPD detective in the Bronx
D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24, allegedly attacked Jose Mercedes, of the 52nd Precinct, back on Oct. 2. Investigators say the men were captured in Massachusetts and brought back to the Bronx on Tuesday.
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The Bronx District Attorney's Office says the two men accused of stabbing and robbing an off-duty NYPD detective in the Norwood section of the Bronx were indicted - and pleaded not guilty.
D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24, allegedly attacked Jose Mercedes, of the 52nd Precinct, back on Oct. 2. Investigators say the men were captured in Massachusetts and brought back to the Bronx on Tuesday.
During their first court appearance on Wednesday in connection with the case, Carabello and Mejia denied carrying out the brutal assault on Rochambeau Avenue. Officials say they allegedly stabbed Mercedes 10 times and snatched his chain from his neck.
The NYPD released images they say show Carabello and Mejia racing away from the scene on a moped the day after the incident. Police identified them by name as suspects on Oct. 6.
News 12 cameras captured Mercedes' release from Jacobi Hospital, nearly four days after the stabbing.
Mercedes spoke out about the attack for the first time on Tuesday. He said he chased his attackers for around five blocks before he asked someone for help and they called 911.
"I told them in English, I told them in Spanish, that I was a police officer. They didn't care," Mercedes said. "I almost died."
The Department of Homeland Security said Carabello and Mejia are Dominican Republic nationals and are in the United States illegally. DHS also stated that both men have prior arrests in New York, including weapon possession charges.
Carabello and Mejia face a slew of charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer, assault on a police officer, two counts of attempted murder, six counts of assault, five counts of robbery and grand larceny.
