Social Media Morons Post Attack on Cop to Instagram

VIDEO - Capture Themselves Dousing Traffic Agent with Fire Extinguisher

The NYPD is searching for these two men in connection with a group that sprayed a traffic enforcement agent in the face with a fire extinguisher. -Photos by NYPD and Instagram

By Dan Gesslein 

Manhattan Voice 

May 28, 2024 

MANHATTAN - A true group of criminal masterminds recorded and then posted to social media their attack on a traffic enforcement officer who was sitting in a marked police car, the NYPD said. 

A viral video of a group of men spraying a traffic enforcement agent with a fire extinguisher could lead to the attackers’ arrest. Although they wore masks investigators have already identified one of the suspects and have provided a previous mugshot. Cops also have clear photos of another suspect. 

At around 6:50 am on May 23, a 43-year-old traffic enforcement agent was sitting in his parked patrol car on duty in the vicinity of Saint Nicholas Avenue and West 118th Street. Cops said a gray sedan pulled up alongside the patrol car and the passenger pulled out a fire extinguisher and fired it into the agent’s face. 

EMS transported the traffic agent to St. Luke's Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital where he was listed in stable condition.

When the car sped off, cops had little to go on since the attackers wore masks. That was until one of the geniuses posted the entire attack on Instagram. 

The video was apparently shot by the man holding the fire extinguisher. From his perspective the video shows the car drive up and then spray the agent through the driver’s side window of the patrol car. As the car speeds away, the cameraman pans to the back to see two other suspects wearing masks laughing. 

After the video went viral on social media, cops identified one of the suspects since he has previous arrests. Police are looking for 19-year-old Escarlin Polanco Gonzalez. 

The NYPD has also released the photo of another suspect who has not yet been identified. The man was captured on an MTA bus surveillance camera. 

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.