Brooklyn man speaks out after intense police encounter caught on camera
Quran McPhatter, an officer of 21 years, faces several charges of assault, official misconduct, attempted coercion and menacing.
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An NYPD officer is now indicted for alleged misconduct and assault, as a result of his response to two separate incidents in Sunset Park.
Quran McPhatter, an officer of 21 years, faces several charges of assault, official misconduct, attempted coercion and menacing.
The District Attorney said that, according to their investigation, on Aug. 3, 2025, a civilian saw an NYPD patrol car driving unsafely through a crowded area in the park. The patrol car was being driven by McPhatter. The civilian yelled at the officer to slow down and asked for his badge number, which prompted the officer to tell the civilian to mind his own business.
A video of the encounter shows McPhatter open the door where the man stood and appear to pepper spray him before driving off.
News 12 spoke with Youssef, the man in the videos, who said he then followed up at the 72nd precinct to file an official complaint. Instead, he was confronted by McPhatter, who had to be pulled away by other officers, and refused to identify himself.
“We live in a world that's highly surveilled,” said Youssef. “We are pretty much on camera at all times, and especially inside of a police station for someone to behave like that, this is someone who doesn’t care. I can imagine what this person might do off camera.”
Youssef says he still worries about his safety, since the officer still has access to his address and other personal information.
In a separate incident months later, McPhatter is also accused of slapping a 60-year-old man in the face while the man was in handcuffs.
However, according to the most recent report from the CCRB in 2025, this isn’t the first time McPhatter has been accused. Some complaints date back to 2006.
“After the CCRB process, who has the final say? It’s like you investigate yourself, how can we expect accountability?” said Youssef.
While he’s happy to see his case taken seriously now, Youssef said the real test will be what happens next for McPhatter when he returns to court in March.
McPhatter was released without bail and ordered to return to court on March 25, 2026.
