Suspect arrested for felony for hurting NYPD cops during Washington Square Park snowball fight
Published in News & Features
NEW YORK — A suspect has been arrested for a felony for injuring cops responding to a giant snowball fight in Washington Square Park — an incident Mayor Zohran Mamdani said should not result in criminal charges, angering NYPD officials.
Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was nabbed by police early Thursday after he was identified as one of four men shown in social media video throwing snowballs at police responding to the disorderly crowd in the Greenwich Village park.
“(He) was arrested for assaulting our officers,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced on X. “Mr. Coulibaly was previously arrested less than three weeks ago for an attempted robbery in the transit system.”
Cops charged Coulibaly with assault on a police officer, obstructing government administration and disorderly conduct. His arraignment was pending in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Coulibaly was allegedly recorded hitting a cop in the face with a snowball during the Monday afternoon incident near the park’s comfort stations.
Several people hit a group of police officers with snowballs. As a result, two officers were treated at a local hospital for bruises, cuts to their face and complaints of head and neck pain.
Cops on Tuesday released images of Coulibaly holding a small boulder of snow with two hands during the snowball fight and asked the public for help identifying him.
Members of the NYPD Warrants squad grabbed him 5 a.m. Thursday inside an apartment in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. He lives about two blocks from where he was caught, according to police.
Three other young men are still being sought for pelting two officers with snowballs during the 4 p.m. incident Monday. The snowball fight was organized on social media in the aftermath of the historic blizzard that blew into town Sunday.
The police response drove a wedge between Mamdani and NYPD brass, who consider the incident a straightforward assault on the officers.
Mamdani sees it differently, describing the incident as “a snowball fight that got out of hand, and it should be treated accordingly.”
Coulibaly was previously arrested Feb. 6 after he allegedly confronted a man on the platform of the Fordham Road subway station.
“Run everything in your pockets,” he told his victim. “You don’t want this to get physical.”
The victim, who didn’t give up his belongings, alerted police, who arrested Coulibaly a short time later. He was released without bail after being arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court on attempted robbery, petty larceny and harassment charges, officials said.
NYPD union heads said Coulibaly’s criminal past shows the snowball fight was not a case of innocent kids having a good time.
“A 27-year-old with a recent attempted robbery arrest is not a ‘kid,’” Police Benevolent Association President Pat Hendry said Thursday. “This arrest sends a clear message that assaults on police officers cannot and will not be minimized or tolerated.”
“There is more work to be done to hold accountable all who participated in this shameful attack,” he added.
The NYPD is urging anyone with information on the additional suspects to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.
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