Off-duty NYPD detective stabbed 7 times; suspects in U.S. illegally, Fox News reports
An off‑duty NYPD detective was stabbed seven times in the Bronx; the alleged attackers, illegal Dominican migrants, were captured in Massachusetts and held without bail.
An off‑duty NYPD detective was stabbed seven times during a robbery in the Bronx, and the two alleged assailants—identified as illegal Dominican migrants—were arrested in Massachusetts and ordered held without bail. The case highlights tensions over sanctuary city policies and immigration enforcement in the United States.
Two men accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes at least seven times in the Bronx are Dominican citizens living in the U.S. illegally, according to Fox News. The pair were found hiding in a basement in Lynn, Massachusetts, and ordered held without bail, Fox News reports.
What we know
Detective Jose Mercedes, a 33‑year‑old veteran of the NYPD’s 44th Precinct, was off duty on Oct. 2 when he was cleaning the trunk of his car in the Bronx. According to the NYPD, two suspects ambushed him, attempted to steal his gold chain, and stabbed him at least seven times in the neck and leg before fleeing on a motorized bike.
Mercedes was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park, where he was treated for the wounds. He was released several days later and, on Monday, left the hospital in a wheelchair to a crowd of officers, bagpipes, and applause. He later stood, smiled, and gave a thumbs‑up.
“I’m feeling much better, thank you,” Mercedes told the New York Post.
The suspects have been identified by federal authorities as D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24. Caraballo is alleged to have been the slasher, while Mejia is accused of driving the bike. Fox News reports that both are Dominican citizens living in the U.S. illegally.
After the attack, the pair were found hiding in the basement of a home in Lynn, Massachusetts. The U.S. Marshals Service took them into custody, and they were ordered held without bail during a joint appearance in Lynn District Court. Police say they will be returned to New York City to face attempted murder charges.
A legal group has told NYPD officers they can contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directly, despite New York’s “sanctuary” policies that typically limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities
Mercedes, a ten‑year veteran, said he fought back and tried to defend himself before being stabbed. Video obtained by the New York Post showed him covered in blood as he was loaded into an ambulance.
The two suspects face attempted murder charges in New York.
Sources
Photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels (illustrative)