Police announced they arrested a man who "sucker punched" a police sergeant at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal during one of the Eric Garner grand jury protests last week. According to the NYPD, the suspect also attacked another cop in the Meatpacking District.
Police say the incident occurred during a demonstration at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, at 8 p.m. on December 8th. The sergeant was "sucker punched by an unknown male who fled the scene. At 2230 on the same night an individual identified as Yotameli Sayer was arrested for assaulting a police officer at 14th Street and 8th Avenue. Information gathered during that arrest led detectives to identify Sayer as the individual who assaulted the sergeant outside of the Staten Island Ferry."
The Staten Island Advance reports that this information was "video of the altercation between police and protesters taken that night and later uploaded to YouTube." The punch occurs at the 2:07 mark; the sergeant appears to have pushed demonstrators away while another officer is arresting someone.
Police took Sayer into custody yesterday afternoon,charging him with assault on a police officer and riot. For the incident at 14th Street and 8th Avenue, Sayer was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
