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TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — New police body cam video released by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office shows a close-up view of last month’s attack on two NYPD officers in Times Square.
Friday morning, the department continues to search for at least three more suspects.
Seven men have now been indicted in this case.
The body camera footage shows how quickly things escalated and turned into a chaotic melee.
This all started when officers attempted to break up the group of men on 42nd Street.
Officials release shocking police body camera video of the attack on two NYPD officers in Times Square last month.
The man in the yellow jacket is Yohenry Brito. You can see authorities trying to arrest him.
He allegedly tries to slip away from the officers and then he slips out of his jacket.
This is when things start to get chaotic, as members of the group apparently start to pull Brito off the ground and officers say they start assaulting them on the sidewalk.
Thursday, prosecutors broke down what roles they say some of the men played in this attack.
Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel is accused of grabbing an officer and kicking the other.
Yorman Reveron is charged with allegedly grabbing, pulling and throwing the officers to the ground.
Kelvin Servita Arocha allegedly kicked a police radio, and Wilson Juarez gave his jacket to Brito. They allege it is so he could disguise himself as police searched for him.
Seven people have been indicted so far.
Brito had previously been indicted and is being held on charges of assault, obstruction and evidence tampering.
Authorities released photos on Wednesday of two others they are looking for in connection to the Jan. 27 attack.
In the suspect pictures released by police, one of the men is wearing a red hoodie with a white hat. Police say this man is 5’9. The other man is wearing a black puffer jacket and red hat and is approximately 5’7.
“Some of the video surveillance, and some of the pictures, and some of the switching of clothing not only shows the thoroughness of the investigation, but how sophisticated these individuals were. They understood that they could switch clothing to throw off the investigators. But that did not happen,” Mayor Eric Adams said.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg says 11 people were involved in the attack.
“The assault on our police officers in Times Square outraged and sickened me,” Bragg said. “We have absolutely no tolerance for this despicable behavior. Our joint investigation with the NYPD helped us determine the alleged roles of new individuals involved, including some who are charged with having committed the most violent conduct and have not yet been apprehended.”
Patrick Hendry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, said the indictments don’t mean “anything unless these individuals show up in a Manhattan courtroom.”
Bragg has come under criticism over his handling of the case with the Republicans in the state Senate asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Bragg from office.
However, sources familiar with the investigation said the incident is more complex than it may seem. Prosecutors have been pouring through the police body camera footage to sort out who is responsible for what. Several people seen on video may have had minimal involvement while others are more culpable.
There are additional questions about what touched off the assault. Police have suggested that most, if not all, the suspects were in Times Square for pickpocketing or other criminal activity. Police have said the lieutenant was trying to disperse the group when he and his officer were punched and kicked.
Mayor Eric Adams says he would like the City Council to renew the city’s cooperation with ICE so that the two agencies, which are investigating the attack separately, can formally work together.
He said he believes repeat offenders who can be deported should be.
“If I could have the authority and my legal team tells me I have the authority to have cooperation with ICE, for those who commit felony, dangerous crimes, that is something we would love to entertain and to look at,” Adams said.
Almost all of the suspects have lived in a city-run shelter for migrants, claiming to be seeking asylum, at some point.
Police have been looking at some of these individuals for connections to larger crime trends. The city’s rhetoric about migrants has shifted as resources are stretched by the arrival of nearly 200,000 migrants sent from the southern border.
Anyone with more information is asked to call 212-335-9040.
ALSO READ | Exclusive: NYPD cracks down on illegal scooters amid investigation into officers attacked
Josh Einiger has the exclusive report.
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Read More: Police body cam released of Times Square attack on NYPD officers; search for 3 more suspects
