A second person has been arrested after multiple NYPD officers were pelted with snowballs in Washington Square Park on February 23. Eric Wilson Jr., 18, was taken into custody Wednesday morning and charged with obstruction of governmental administration and harassment.
Key Takeaways
A second person has been arrested after multiple NYPD officers were hit with snowballs containing ice and rocks in Washington Square Park on Feb. 23.
- Eric Wilson Jr., 18, was charged with obstruction of governmental administration and harassment.
- Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was initially charged with felony assault but had the charge dismissed due to lack of evidence linking him directly to officers' injuries.
- The Police Benevolent Association (PBA) claims snowballs contained rocks and ice, causing injuries to two officers who went to the hospital.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani believes the incident does not warrant criminal charges, while Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Governor Kathy Hochul support prosecution.
No major injuries were reported, but two officers took themselves to the hospital for treatment of head and facial injuries. The Police Benevolent Association (PBA) stated that the snowballs contained ice and rocks. Coulibaly's attorney denied this claim, stating there was no mention of rocks in the criminal complaint.
The incident began as an organized event promoted on social media but escalated when police arrived to contain the crowd. The NYPD previously released images of four individuals they were looking for. Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was arrested earlier and initially charged with felony assault on a police officer, which was later dismissed due to lack of evidence linking him directly to officers' injuries.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has stated that the incident does not warrant criminal charges, describing it as a snowball fight that got out of hand. However, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Governor Kathy Hochul have expressed support for prosecuting those involved, with Tisch calling the behavior depicted 'disgraceful' and 'criminal'.
The case has sparked debate over the appropriate response to such incidents, with some arguing that criminal charges are necessary to hold individuals accountable for their actions against law enforcement.
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