Eleven teen members of the ultra-violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were allegedly involved in an attack against two NYPD officers on Friday night in Times Square, police sources told Fox News.
Five of the suspects, all illegal aliens from Venezuela, have been arrested in connection with the alleged attack, which involved the migrant crew throwing glass bottles, basketballs and rocks at NYPD officers who were responding to a robbery.
The youngest suspect in the attack is 12 years old, and the police sources said that two of the children were picked up by their migrant parents, and one is being charged as an adult with riot and assault, according to police.
“It’s horrific enough to be a victim of a crime,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a Tuesday media briefing. “But when someone openly assaults a police officer, you are attacking our symbol of safety, and it cannot be tolerated.”
Mayor Eric Adams gives a media briefing on an alleged attack by teen Tren de Aragua gang members against NYPD Officers. (NYC Mayor’s Office)
Adams said he’s heard from people in the city who have said the suspects are too young for serious punishment, but he said that’s not the case.
“People who prey on innocent people must be held accountable. They must be brought to justice,” he said.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch then read a prepared statement describing the incident.
“Last week we saw a troubling incident in the heart of Times Square, where NYPD officers came under attack. On Friday at approximately 7:30 p.m., cops assigned to foot posts in the area of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, and just a block away from a highly-anticipated boxing match, noticed about 10 to 12 individuals beginning to surround three others,” she said.
“The officers engaged the group and attempted to break up what appeared to be a wolfpack-style robbery. Instead, they were ambushed [and] pelted with scooters, basketballs and other makeshift weapons,” she continued. “This was a targeted attack. Planned, deliberate and carried out with intent, and it will not be tolerated. Luckily, our officers are OK, and the investigation that followed was fast, effective and focused.”
After an attack on NYPD officers by teen Tren de Aragua gang members, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch addresses the media. (NYC Mayors Office)
According to Tisch, police identified a subset of Tren de Aragua gang members as the suspected perpetrators just hours after the attack.
“Our detectives got right to work, and within hours identified members of a violent group known as Los Diablos de 42, a subset of Tren de Aragua,” she said. “Several of them are listed in our gang database, and that’s one of the reasons we caught many of them so quickly.”
She then admonished the city council for “legislating against cops” and scolded them for trying to do away with that gang database.
Tisch said a fifth person involved in the incident was arrested Tuesday morning.
17 members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang and members of the MS-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador by the US in San Salvador, El Salvador on March 31, 2025. (El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“So far, we’ve apprehended five individuals connected to this incident,” she said. “Three were arrested the next day, all repeat offenders, and all previously tied to citywide robbery patterns. A fourth turned himself in on Sunday, and just this morning we arrested a fifth, a 16-year-old recidivist. They face serious charges, including attempted felony assault, inciting a riot and reckless endangerment. “
She said more arrests are coming and once again repudiated city officials for what she views as weak-on-crime policies.
“This is not low-level crime. It’s organized violence carried out by gang members that we’ve have already taken off the streets for preying on New Yorkers,” she said. “And now they’re back, ambushing cops in the middle of Times Square. It’s not a fluke. It’s a system failure. It’s what happens when repeat offenders are allowed to cycle through arrest after arrest without meaningful accountability. It’s what happens when there are no real consequences.”
Salvadoran police officers escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, as part of an agreement with the Salvadoran government, in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in this handout image obtained March 16, 2025. (Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via Reuters)
Police sources confirmed that the young suspects are known to police, and have been linked to dozens of robberies in New York since 2022. However, each time they have been arrested, they have been released back onto the streets.
NYPD confirmed Tuesday that two juveniles, a 16 and 17-year-old, were arrested and charged in connection with the alleged crimes on Friday night.
The 16-year-old, whose name has not been released, is charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, second-degree riot and third-degree menacing.
The 17-year-old faces more serious charges, including attempted assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman or emergency medical services professional; second-degree reckless endangerment; second-degree obstructing governmental administration; second-degree riot and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
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One adult suspect, Yeferxon Jose Mijares Hernandez, 19, was taken into custody on Sunday. He is charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, second-degree riot and third-degree attempted assault.
“It was reported to the police that on Friday, May 2, 2025, at approximately 1934 hours, two NYPD police officers observed a physical altercation at the intersection of West 42 Street and 8 Avenue in the confines of the Midtown South Precinct,” the police department said in a statement asking for help in identifying three more suspects.
Map of Tren de Aragua presence in the United States as of December 2024. (Fox News Digital)
“Upon arrival, a crowd dispersed, and three unidentified individuals remained on scene. The first individual threw an umbrella at the officers, the second individual threw an unknown object, and the third individual attempted to strike one of the officers with a basketball,” the statement said. “The unidentified individuals fled on foot eastbound on 42 Street towards 7 Avenue. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.”
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A major boxing event was held in Times Square on Friday night. The main event was a welterweight fight between Ryan Garcia and Rolando “Rolly” Romero. Romero bested Garcia in the competition.