An NYPD detective stabbed and slashed seven times during a brazen Bronx robbery has been released from the hospital and is recovering from his injuries.
“I’m feeling much better, thank you,” Detective Jose Mercedes, a 10-year NYPD veteran assigned to the 44th Precinct, told the New York Post Saturday.
Mercedes, 33, was off duty Oct. 2 and cleaning out his car’s trunk when two suspects allegedly ambushed him and attempted to steal his gold chain, according to the NYPD.
Detective Jose Mercedes was wheeled out of Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park on Monday before standing and facing a group of applauding officers. (NYPD)
The detective fought back and tried to protect himself, but the attackers allegedly stabbed him at least seven times in the neck and leg. The suspects then ripped the chain from his neck and escaped on a motorized bike, police and sources told the Post.
Video obtained by the newspaper showed Mercedes covered in blood as he was placed in an ambulance following the attack. He was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and released several days later.
Dozens of fellow NYPD officers gathered Monday evening to welcome Mercedes as he left the hospital in a wheelchair. Bagpipes played while the officers applauded, and Mercedes later stood, smiled and gave the crowd a thumbs-up.
Dangelo Rafael Jean Caraballo, 25, (left) and Sneider Mejia Bautista, 24, (right), both Dominican citizens living illegally in the United States, are accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes. (Department of Homeland Security; NYPD)
Police identified the alleged attackers as D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24. According to the NYPD, Caraballo was identified as the alleged attacker who wielded the knife, while Mejia was accused of driving the bike.
Federal authorities identified both suspects as illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic. The NYPD said they were found hiding in the basement of a home in Lynn, Massachusetts, and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service Wednesday.
The two attackers remain at large. (NYPD)
The pair were ordered held without bail during a joint appearance in Lynn District Court. They are expected to be returned to New York City to face attempted murder charges, according to police.
