Bronx Man Arrested In Latest Water Bucket Attack On NYPD Officers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Bronx man faces multiple charges for his role in a recent water bucket attack on NYPD officers.
His arrest comes as President Donald Trump calls on Mayor Bill de Blasio to stand up and take action.
Robert Perez is charged with criminal mischief and harassment stemming from the latest incident Tuesday in the Bronx.
NYPD Cops are in DANGER! Another video of water buckets being tossed. O'Neill needs to go before we get another cop killed! TERRENCE where's the Arrest. No more tough talking, stop blaming the cops if you can't handle the job perhaps you and O'Neill should find new work! pic.twitter.com/Nl8PqUE8Zc
— SBA (@SBANYPD_Archive) July 24, 2019
Two officers were standing near a crosswalk when they were soaked with buckets of water.
Similar incidents were reported over the weekend in Brownsville, Brooklyn and East Harlem, Manhattan.
The president criticized the mayor Thursday on Twitter, saying, "We love our Law Enforcement Officers all around this great Country. What took place in NYC with water being tossed on NYPD officers was a total disgrace. It is time for @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio to STAND UP for those who protect our lives and serve us all so well."
De Blasio responded, saying, "I want to make it clear here: Anybody who interferes with the work of a police officer is going to be charged and is going to suffer the consequences."
Here are the facts: New York City is the safest big city in America — and we got there because our NYPD officers and our communities worked together to drive crime to all-time lows. That's real work that we've done that ACTUALLY protects our officers.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) July 25, 2019
The mayor also touted the success of community policing, but some wonder if more training is needed to make sure it remains a success while not minimizing officers' authority in the communities they serve.
"When I first saw the videos, I was appalled, I was shocked that the officers allowed this amount of activity to occur," said Dr. Alfred S. Titus Jr., a John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor and former NYPD detective.
Titus said officers need to be mindful of what behavior they allow themselves to be a part of.
"In the future, when you have an emboldened individual who now feels that they can behave this way towards the police."
The Sergeants Benevolent Association continues to condemn these incidents and pointed out so far, they have only involved water, but could be something more sinister.
One man in the Brooklyn incident turned himself in to police. At least four more suspects are sought in the other cases.