NYPD officer indicted for allegedly punching man more than a dozen times during service call

A New York City police officer faces fees for allegedly punching a man more than a dozen times whilst responding to a call about an emotionally disturbed kid closing 12 months, prosecutors stated Wednesday.

NYPD officer Christian Zapata has been indicted on one depend of attack within the 3rd stage stemming from the December 2022 incident, prosecutors stated.

Zapata, 36, of the Bronx, pleaded now not in charge to misdemeanor attack and used to be launched on his personal recognizance on Wednesday.

While responding with a number of officials to a call of an autistic teenager in disaster in a Harlem condominium on Dec. 7, 2022, Zapata allegedly punched the boyfriend of the teenager’s mom roughly 13 times within the span of 9 seconds, prosecutors stated. The incident used to be captured on police body-worn cameras.

The sufferer “asked the officers multiple times to put on facemasks and even called 911 seeking the assistance of [a] supervisor,” the Manhattan district lawyer’s administrative center stated in a remark. “The officers refused to do so.”

When the sufferer attempted to test at the kid, Zapata instructed him he used to be interfering with emergency clinical products and services and could be arrested, consistent with prosecutors.

Body digicam pictures displays any other officer start backing the boyfriend down a hallway. The boyfriend swats the officer’s hand away however complies with instructions to transport away, at which level Zapata steps in and allegedly starts punching the man, prosecutors stated.

Zapata can then be heard apologizing to the sufferer’s son who noticed the altercation. “I’m sorry young man, sorry you had to see that,” he says.

The 43-year-old boyfriend used to be first of all arrested following the incident however the Manhattan district lawyer’s administrative center declined to prosecute and as a substitute grew to become the boyfriend into a witness in opposition to Zapata.

“Christian Zapata is charged with repeatedly punching a victim who posed no immediate danger or physical threat,” Manhattan District Attorney Bragg stated in a remark. “We will continue to impartially investigate instances where members of law enforcement use unnecessary force, because doing so is essential for enhancing public safety and confidence in the criminal justice system.”

In a letter to the police commissioner, Zapata insisted he by no means loses his composure “because I understand the number one goal of policing is always de-escalation,” consistent with courtroom data.

“My actions in this incident should speak loud and clear that I perceived a hostile threat after the defendant aggressively put his hands on a police officer,” the letter stated, consistent with courtroom data. “I perceived the defendant fighting with my fellow officer and I responded accordingly. I will never stand by and watch a fellow officer get hurt and I stand on that principle.”

The NYPD positioned Zapata on changed responsibility following the incident and demoted him from the rank of sergeant to police officer in August.