Immigration
NYC shelter cop suspended for punching asylum seeker from Venezuela
Moments later, the migrant said that “about eight officers jumped on him, kicked him, punched him, and used a stun gun on him three times”
September 9, 2022 6:02am
Updated: September 9, 2022 11:03am
An officer at one of New York’s homeless shelters was suspended after he was caught on video punching a Venezuelan asylum seeker.
Meiver Martinez, 21, got into an argument with the Department of Homeless Services officer at the Bedford-Atlantic Armory shelter in Crown Heights at around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
The video, shared on Twitter by the Immigrant Coalition, shows Martinez arguing and yelling “Don’t hit me” in Spanish. He is then seen kicking a nearby locker in the center.
Suddenly, the officer punches Martinez in the face. Two men then jump in to separate the two.
Moments later, Martinez said that “about eight officers jumped on him, kicked him, punched him, and used a stun gun on him three times.” He was then handcuffed and taken away in an ambulance to a hospital, where he was treated. He was not charged with any crime.
Video of NYPD cop assaulting & tasing an asylum seeker in NYC shelter.
— Immigration Coalition (@ImmigCoalition) September 7, 2022
They cannot be reformed. #abolishtheNYPD https://t.co/4hZSuPl2EU pic.twitter.com/zE0rIeQbLb
Martinez told 1010 WINS radio station that the officer had been harassing him when he was slow to get out of bed and returned to the shelter past curfew.
On Thursday, New York City’s Department of Social Services suspended the unidentified officer, according to The New York Post.
“Protecting the health and safety of our clients and staff is our top priority at all times and we do not tolerate any violence or misconduct against our clients,” a DSS spokesperson said in a statement.
“After a preliminary review of this incident, we are taking immediate action to suspend the DHSPD officer involved while we complete a full investigation,” the statement said.
“Our staff are trained to lead with care and compassion at all times and we work closely with all our clients to ensure that we are maintaining open lines of communication and addressing any concerns as they arise,” it continued.
The district attorney’s office is conducting a “full investigation” of the incident and cooperating with the district attorney’s office.
Martinez is an asylum seeker that arrived in the Big Apple about a month ago from Venezuela after a three-month journey that was mostly on foot.
