FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Police Officer Charged with Assault of Woman
During George Floyd Brooklyn Protest
Allegedly Violently Pushed 20-Year-Old to the Ground Causing Physical Injury
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a New York City Police Officer has been charged in a criminal complaint with assault, criminal mischief, harassment, and menacing for allegedly shoving a demonstrator to the ground during a march to protest police brutality and the killing of George Floyd. The incident was captured on video recording.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest. As District Attorney I cannot tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this Constitutionally guaranteed right. This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law. I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Vincent D’Andraia, 28, of the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is expected to be arraigned today in Brooklyn Criminal Court on a criminal complaint in which he is charged with third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree harassment and third-degree menacing.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 29, 2020, at approximately 8:44 p.m., near the Barclays Center, the defendant was walking with a contingent of police officers assigned to monitor a large crowd of demonstrators protesting racial injustice and the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The victim, a 20-year-old woman, was in the street when the defendant told her to move. As she asked why, the defendant allegedly smacked her cell phone out of her hand, and violently shoved her to the ground, according the investigation. She can be seen rolling on the street and into a curb. Meanwhile, the defendant and fellow officers can be seen to continue walking.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Daphney Gachette, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Patrick O’Connor, Chief of the Law Enforcement Accountability Bureau and Executive Assistant District Attorney Joseph P. Alexis, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division.
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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.