An NYPD officer who was seen on video shoving a protester in Brooklyn turned himself in Tuesday and was arraigned on assault charges.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Tuesday that the officer was charged in a criminal complaint with assault, criminal mischief, harassment and menacing.
The officer, 28-year-old Vincent D'Andraia, of Holbrook, with the 73rd Precinct, was caught on camera shoving a protester to the ground during a demonstration in Brownsville on May 29.
D'Andraia was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on charges including third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree harassment and third-degree menacing. The officer was released and his next court date is set for Oct. 15.
The woman, identified as 20-year-old Dounya Zayer, later said in social media posts that she suffered a concussion and seizure as a result of the encounter. Zayer is formerly from East Islip, but now lives in Queens.
"I wasn't being aggressive and there was no reason for him to throw me the way he did," says Zayer.
Zayer says the officer told her to move, and she asked why before he knocked her to the ground.
PBA President Patrick Lynch claims the video doesn't tell the story, and that city leaders have thrown the officer under the bus.
"The minute it went up, the conclusion was made, and it was made by our leaders. And that's wrong," says Lynch.
Gonzalez says the officer used excessive force, adding, "I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable."
Lynch says an investigation should have been launched first. He says the DA would rather make an example out of an officers, but not charge looters.
The officer had previously been suspended without pay.
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