On Friday evening, approximately 12 young individuals associated with Tren de Aragua allegedly attacked two officers from the New York Police Department in Times Square.
Sources indicate that the group is connected to Los Diablos de 42, a youth faction tied to the notorious Venezuelan gang TDA. Remarkably, the youngest suspect in this incident was just 12 years old.
“This is clearly not just a simple crime. The level of organized violence we’re seeing shows that these gang members have moved beyond the streets, now targeting everyday New Yorkers,” one official commented.
According to reports, five out of the eleven suspects were undocumented migrants from Venezuela and were subsequently arrested.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Police Chief Jessica Tish discussed the shocking attack in detail.
Chief Tish recounted how the officers approached a group of about 10-12 individuals after witnessing them encircle three other people.
“The officers worked to break up what appeared to be a robbery occurring, similar to a Wolfpack-style incident. Instead, they were surrounded and attacked with scooters, basketballs, and other makeshift weapons,” she explained.
Within a few hours, law enforcement identified several of the suspects as members of Los Diablos de 42 using the city’s gang database. Tish referred to this database as “one of the most crucial tools for protecting our officers and the community,” urging city council leaders to halt attempts to dismantle it.
She advocated for new legislation that prioritizes public safety over measures perceived as targeting officers.
Tish also noted that all those arrested were known offenders connected to broader patterns of theft across the city. Fortunately, no significant injuries were reported among the officers.
“Let me be clear: this isn’t a minor offence. The organized violence we’re witnessing shows that these groups are now brazenly attacking officers in busy areas like Times Square. This isn’t just an isolated incident; it highlights systemic failures in holding repeat offenders accountable,” she asserted, emphasizing the lack of meaningful consequences for such crimes.
Mayor Adams reinforced the urgency of addressing this violence, stating that an attack on a police officer undermines public safety itself. “It’s already frightening enough to be the victim of a crime, but attacking a police officer means attacking our very sense of security,” he stated.
Despite this, New York City’s Sanctuary policy remains in place, protecting undocumented immigrants from federal immigration agencies.
On Sunday, immigration officials showed up at an NYPD station where one of the young suspects was held, but they were reportedly turned away.
Chief Tish affirmed, “We understand how to navigate these situations. Our procedures, established early this year, outline the steps to follow in such cases.”
Interestingly, a similar ambush took place earlier this year in January, where some suspects were again connected to the TDA.
