Police have arrested three people in connection with vicious attacks on two people in Riverside Park last week.
On Thursday, November 6, four attackers threw a homeless man over the railing in the park and into the Hudson River and put a bag over the head of another man before hitting him with a hard object and robbing him, according to police.
The Daily News first reported the arrests of Christian Torres, 22, Kevin Watt, 19, and Carlos Rivera, 18. Torres and Watt were arraigned on Tuesday on several charges, including two counts of gang assault in the first degree, two counts of first degree assault, one count of first degree robbery, and one count of fourth degree grand larceny.
Lawyers for the two men did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Detective Ronald Bronaugh of the 20th precinct gave the following account of the crimes, according to the DA’s office:
“I am informed by a person known to me that four people surrounded the informant, and that the informant was struck in the head with a large stone by one of the four people. I am further informed by the informant that the informant was then kicked and punched by all four people. I am further informed by the informant that the four people took property from the informant’s person, including a cell phone, laptop, credit card, and identification card. I am further informed by the informant that the informant suffered Bleeding to the brain, a broken nose, facial fractures and a large open wound to the back of the head requiring fifteen (15) or more stitches.
I further state that defendants Watt and Torres stated to me that each was present when the above-actions occurred. I further state that I reviewed surveillance video from near the above location, which shows defendants Watt and Torres near the above-location.
I am further informed by a second person (informant2) known to me that the informant2 was struck in face and punched and punched and kicked by all four people near the above-location. I am further informed by informant2 that the informant2 observed two people throw informant2 over a rail and into the Hudson River. I am further informed by the informant2 that the informant2 suffered a broken mandible, hypothermia and numerous facial lacerations.
I further state that defendants Watt and Torres stated to me that they were present at the time that the informant2 was thrown into the Hudson River, and admitted to committing the act.
I further state that credit card was recovered from defendant Torres’s pants pocket and that the credit card was in the name of the informant who had been struck by the large stone.
I further state that numerous purchases were made using the informant’s credit card, and that defendants Watt, Torres, and ____ admitted to knowing that the card was stolen, and using the card in order to make several purchases, which were completed, at McDonald’s and Dunkin Doughnuts.”
If these degenerate individuals are so desperate for some excitement that they are attacking homeless people, they should take a quick trip over to Vietnam Houses in the south bronx and go pick a fight with someone their own size.
Let me guess, more charter members of “Dominicans Don’t Play.”
Two attacks occurred recently that went unreported, including a girl in the doorwell of Second Time Around who was punched in the face by a gang matching this description. Additionally an older man was smacked in the face by a different gang. In both instances NYPD did not manage to track down the perps.
Comrade Mayor di Balsio should swallow hard and throw the book at these thugs.
They lost their membership in the human race when they threw the person over the rail and 8into the river.
Today it’s robbery, tomorrow it’s murder.
These gangs have been operating in the UWS for years.
All the attempts by the bleeding hearts liberals to curtail the power of the police dept. will only increase the activity of the gangs.
Put them away for 20 years with no parole. Hard labor will be nice as well, but of course, we are too “civilized” for such punishment. Too bad!
As a long-time UWS resident and Riverside Park volunteer, I am very dismayed to hear of this kind of violence in the Park, and to see the manifestation of it with broken lights near the 103rd St. entrance and other damage recently. What do these people want? Doing these things will not get them jobs, or more money, or anything else. They are only harming the other people in the neighborhood who are law-abiding, and we will not bow to these thugs’ actions and violence. We will not revert to the 1970’s and ’80’s. I for one will stand up to them and not let them cow me into acceding the Park or the neighborhood to them. Also, if the police and “Parks Enforcement” spent more time in the Park looking for people doing REAL bad things, and not just folks with their dogs off leash, some of this might be prevented.
BE Morgan – thank you for your volunteer work in Riverside Park. And thank you also for vowing not to let it return to the bad old days. I have young children that I love bringing to the park, and want to continue to do so. We must all make our voices heard.
The economy of NYC has not dramatically changed lately and certainly not for the worse, but we are seeing a greater homeless presence in the parks and an uptick in serious crime. The only thing that has changed in fact is the leadership in city hall and the instructions given out to the police. New York desperately needs to review the choice it made in the last mayoral election else we will find a city not too different than what we saw at its worst in the 1970’s
Oh, no. Four young men wilding their way through the Park. And at least two of them confessed to “being present” at at least one of the merciless attacks.
There goes another 41 million taxpayer dollars out the window. When will the next Ken Burns drama-mentary be coming out?
really, Cato? you want to compare this to 5 innocent men who spent decades in jail for a crime they did not commit?
I’m glad they were caught. Excellent police work by the 20th PCT.
I should remind everyone how common it was on this site, just a few days ago, to blame the residents of Amsterdam Houses for this… even though there was no evidence at all to support this.
And it turned out the criminals had nothing to do with Amsterdam Houses. Lesson learned?
Bruce, I agree that we should not blame needlessly, but I offer my personal experience in rebuttal. Several summers ago, I was biking from a Lincoln Center concert at about 10 pm. A group of young people gathered between parked cars on the west (projects) side of the street and deliberately threw large transit cones at my head and body. I was knocked over in front of a wall of oncoming cars. The assailants laughed and fled into the project pathways. Helpful bystanders diverted oncoming traffic and assisted me to the curb, also trying to pursue the young people unsuccessfully. Net: broken wrist, damaged bike. No police record — why bother?
Hey Bruce- if you think those 5 thugs did not commit that crime then I have a bridge to sell you.
And Zeus… Mayor Sharpton will never allow the book to be thrown at these poor, misguided, never-had-a-chance young men. Bloomberg’s fault I’m sure.