(TargetLiberty.org) – Early on a Monday morning, at the migrant shelter on Randall’s Island, authorities arrested five men following an incident where they attacked another resident in his bed and also injured a security guard during the scuffle. The men, whose ages range from 20 to 33, reportedly assaulted the victim while he was eating in his bed shortly before 2 a.m.
The assailants are said to have encircled the victim’s bed, where they proceeded to punch and scratch him, targeting his head, face, and legs. The police have charged these individuals with third-degree assault and harassment. They were identified as Howard Ochoa-Olivero, 27; Jose Manuel-Maza, 29; Jose Sequera, 20; Xavier Pacheco, 33; and Carlos Maiz-Betancourt, 27.
The identity of the victim has not been released. In the aftermath, video footage captured a significant police response at the scene, showing the suspects being taken away in handcuffs and the transportation of at least two individuals in ambulances.
A security guard who attempted to intervene during the incident sustained injuries. This attack is part of an emerging pattern of violence at the shelter, according to a law enforcement source.
This incident follows recent measures by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, including implementing a curfew at the shelter and considering the installation of metal detectors, in response to multiple stabbings at the location.
In a related incident in February, two migrants were arrested at this facility for attacking a security guard in two separate incidents on the same night, as per a report by the New York Post. During the police response to the first assault, another attack on the guard was witnessed, highlighting the ongoing security challenges at the shelter.
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