Eleven teenage members of the highly violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, are suspected to have participated in an assault against two NYPD officers on Friday night in Times Square, as reported by police sources to Fox News.
Among the suspects, five have been apprehended. All are illegal immigrants from Venezuela and are accused of attacking the officers by hurling glass bottles, basketballs, and rocks as they were attending to a robbery incident.
The youngest alleged attacker is 12 years old. Police sources indicated that two of the minors were collected by their migrant parents, and one faces adult charges for riot and assault.
“It’s horrific enough to be a victim of a crime,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a Tuesday media briefing. “But when someone openly assaults a police officer, you are attacking our symbol of safety, and it cannot be tolerated.”
Mayor Eric Adams gives a media briefing on an alleged attack by teen Tren de Aragua gang members against NYPD Officers. (NYC Mayor’s Office)
Adams said he’s heard from people in the city who have said the suspects are too young for serious punishment, but he said that’s not the case.
“People who prey on innocent people must be held accountable. They must be brought to justice,” he said.
One adult suspect, Yeferxon Jose Mijares Hernandez, 19, was taken into custody on Sunday. He is charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, second-degree riot and third-degree attempted assault.
“It was reported to the police that on Friday, May 2, 2025, at approximately 1934 hours, two NYPD police officers observed a physical altercation at the intersection of West 42 Street and 8 Avenue in the confines of the Midtown South Precinct,” the police department said in a statement asking for help in identifying three more suspects.
Map of Tren de Aragua presence in the United States as of December 2024. (Fox News Digital)
“Upon arrival, a crowd dispersed, and three unidentified individuals remained on scene. The first individual threw an umbrella at the officers, the second individual threw an unknown object, and the third individual attempted to strike one of the officers with a basketball,” the statement said. “The unidentified individuals fled on foot eastbound on 42 Street towards 7 Avenue. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.”
A major boxing event was held in Times Square on Friday night. The main event was a welterweight fight between Ryan Garcia and Rolando “Rolly” Romero. Romero bested Garcia in the competition.
