One suspect has been arrested in the violent attack on an off-duty NYPD cop in the Bronx. The search for a second man involved in the attack is still going on. The cop was badly hurt in the attack early Saturday morning, but he is expected to get better. New information has come to light, including shocking film footage of the attack that shows how violent it was.
The attack took place on St. Peters Avenue in the Westchester Square area around 4 a.m. The 27-year-old cop, who was not on duty but was still in uniform, was approached by two men who, according to police, put a knife to his throat and beat him badly before stealing his things. Surveillance video caught the suspects kicking the police officer in the head while dressed in black. One of the kicks was so hard that it left a shoe mark on the officer’s face. Then they took his signed gun, iPhone, and cash.
The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and the NYPD’s Regional Fugitive Task Force (RFTF) worked together to find Taveon Hargrove, who is 23 years old. Police say that Hargrove was caught on Tuesday morning in North Chesterfield, Virginia, which is a neighborhood of Richmond. Authorities say that Hargrove will be brought back to New York to face justice, but they have not said what charges he will face.
After the attack, police told the public that Hargrove’s father had been arrested for trying to buy something with the officer’s stolen credit card. This was a disturbing turn in the case. Police have made it clear, though, that the father did not take part in the attack.
The victim, an NYPD cop who is 27 years old, was taken to Jacobi Medical Center right away after the attack. Later, Mayor Eric Adams shared a video of the cop that showed he was awake and aware. Adams told the public in the video that the cop was fine and getting great care at one of the best hospitals in the city.
Adams said, “Given the circumstances, he’s doing well.” Jacobi is one of our best medical systems, and they are taking good care of him there.
Even though the cop was seriously hurt, Mayor Adams was sure that he would fully recover. He also spoke out against how violent the attack was and promised that police would not stop until both suspects were caught.
Adams said, “This attack was disgusting. It doesn’t matter if the victim is a civilian or an off-duty police officer; dangerous people like these will hurt others without caring about their lives at all.”
In his speech, the mayor stressed how important it was to find the second suspect in the attack. The second person has not yet been recognized by the NYPD, but investigators are still working hard to find him. The police are asking anyone with knowledge to come forward and help them catch the last suspect.
That person was told by Mayor Adams, “We will find you.” “We will do everything we can to make sure justice is done in this city. Violence is not okay.”
People in the area were shocked by the attack, especially since the police officer was not on duty and was in a weak position when the suspects attacked. As the investigation goes on, both the community and the police are hoping that the second suspect will soon be caught and held responsible for the crime.
The violent nature of this attack has made people worry about public safety, and many people are asking for stricter laws to stop crime from getting worse. The fact that one of the suspects was caught out of state shows how far the police are willing to go to catch and punish crooks.
The NYPD is working hard to make sure the safety of its cops and the public for now. The community is still on edge and hopes for quick justice as the search for the second suspect goes on.
Crime Stoppers can be reached at 1-800-577-TIPS if you know anything about the second person or what happened.
“This article was written by Mathew Owen. AI tools were used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.”
