NYPD Officers Pointed Guns Inside a Busy Subway Car in an Arrest Caught on Camera
The NYPD's increased presence on the New York subway has many wondering about the resources dedicated to stop petty crimes.
A video that went viral over the weekend has led to criticisms over the New York Police Department's arrest of a teenager on the subway.
Elad Nehorai shared a video on Twitter that was partially captioned, "In case you're wondering how an arrest in NYC goes down." The video shows a young man who allegedly jumped a turnstile sitting in the middle of a train car. Passengers quickly move out of the way as the NYPD officers outside of the car point their guns toward the young man. The young man is seen putting his hands up in surrender. When the doors finally open, multiple NYPD officers board the train to bring the lone teenager to the ground and arrest him.
The incident occurred at the Franklin Avenue station in Brooklyn.
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The NYPD responded to the incident, saying, "What the video doesn't show is a credible witness alerting our officers to a man brandishing a gun. When officers approached the man in question, he fled into a subway station and onto a train to escape. Minutes later, officers at the next station took him into custody."
Nehorai explained that he noted this in the thread. He added that he took issue with the police response because the young man was cooperating. He also took issue with the officers' decision to point weapons at innocent civilians.
By Tuesday, Fox 5 New York reported that the teen did not have a weapon.
Observers have criticized the police response, as well as cops' increased presence in subway stations—part of a recent push to catch more fare-beaters.
The NYPD unveiled a "Transit High Visibility Detail" in March. The detail consists of police officers who generally work desk duty who have been reassigned to patrol various subway stations to scare off potential fare-evaders. Any arrests made by the detail are fruitless, as the Manhattan district attorney has already promised to not prosecute this low-level crime.
The arrests that have been made so far have also received heavy public scrutiny, with many asking why so many resources are being dedicated to arresting New Yorkers over a $2.75 fare. The Marshall Project, a criminal justice-focused nonprofit journalism operation, has also criticized the added police presence, noting racial disparities in arrests.
Another police-involved incident on the subway, which is still unfolding, has also called the NYPD's conduct into question. A Friday video shows an officer punching two teenagers while the officers' colleagues attempt to break up a fight at the Jay Street/Metrotech Station in Brooklyn.