An off-duty NYPD cop was critically injured early Saturday morning after being violently attacked and robbed in Westchester Square, police said.
The assault occurred around 4 a.m. on May 24 near 1473 St. Peters Ave., within the confines of the 45th Precinct, according to authorities.
Authorities said two suspects allegedly forced the 27-year-old officer to the ground, held a knife to his throat, and struck him repeatedly in the face. During the attack, the assailants stole the officer’s wallet, iPhone, and department-issued firearm before fleeing the scene.
The officer sustained multiple broken bones in the assault. Emergency medical personnel transported him to a nearby hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition, police said.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the assault was the latest in a string of brutal attacks on police officers in NYC this month.
“In just the past month, we’ve seen some heinous attacks on police officers in NYC, including one with part of his finger bitten off, another with part of his ear bitten off and this latest vicious assault resulting in severe fractures to an officer’s face, among too many others,” she posted on X.
It is unclear right now how long the officer has been a member of the NYPD. Police sources said he had just ended his shift when the attack occurred.
On Sunday, the NYPD released a photo and identified one of the suspects as 23-year-old Taveon Hargrove. His accomplice has not been identified.
Meanwhile, according to the New York Post, Hargrove’s father was arrested on Sunday after using a credit card that belongs to the officer.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
