NYPD arrest in the Bronx sparks outrage after video shows officer punching man
The incident, captured on video on April 18 around 4:30 p.m., shows officers surrounding a man in a white shirt. As officers force him to the ground, one appears to punch him in the face several times.
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A video showing an NYPD officer repeatedly punching a man during an arrest on Brook Avenue is drawing sharp criticism from local activists and renewed concerns about police conduct in the Bronx.
The incident, captured on video on April 18 around 4:30 p.m., shows officers surrounding a man in a white shirt. As officers force him to the ground, one appears to punch him in the face several times. Bystanders can be heard shouting for the officer to stop, with some yelling in Spanish for everyone to calm down.
At one point, the man rolls onto his back with his hands raised while officers continue trying to restrain him. The same officer appears to strike him again before the man is handcuffed.
Police say officers approached four people allegedly drinking in public outside 435 Brook Ave. According to the NYPD, the group refused to provide identification or verbally identify themselves. Two men were arrested after what police describe as resisting arrest, while two others received summonses.
Chivona Newsome, co-founder of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, said the video reflects long-standing fears residents have about police interactions in their own neighborhoods.
“As we approach the summer months where we know people congregate in their communities — block parties, barbecues — I absolutely expect the uptick in police brutality,” Newsome said. “What recourse do we have if men can’t stand in their own neighborhood without being punched until they’re nearly unconscious?”
Police identified the two men arrested as Daniel Ramirez, 40, and John Liberato, 31. Both face charges including resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, open container and disorderly conduct.
News 12 reached out to the NYPD for comment and is waiting to hear back.
