NYPD detectives on modified duty after mistaken identity arrest caught on video
NYPD investigates liquor store incident as mistaken identity
FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the latest.
BROOKLYN - A violent arrest inside a Brooklyn liquor store is under investigation after police said the incident stemmed from mistaken identity.
Video of the encounter shows two NYPD detectives repeatedly punching a man later identified as Timothy Brown inside a store at Hoyt and Baltic streets in Cobble Hill.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
What we know:
According to the NYPD, the detectives, assigned to Brooklyn North Narcotics, believed Brown matched the description of a suspect connected to a drug sale during an ongoing operation. Police said an undercover officer had purchased crack cocaine from a suspect and provided a description of an alleged accomplice.
Authorities later determined Brown was not involved and was not in possession of drugs. Brown works in security, officials said.
NYPD officers' violent arrest caught on video; Mamdani calls it 'extremely disturbing'
Two NYPD officers are being placed on modified duty after video surfaced of an arrest that quickly took a violent and chaotic turn.
What does the video show?
The backstory:
The video shows Brown being forced into shelves stocked with glass bottles before falling to the ground, where detectives continue to strike him.
Officers are then seen dragging him by his legs toward the front of the store. At one point, an officer appears to kick Brown while attempting to place him in handcuffs.
A bystander who recorded the video can be heard questioning the officers’ use of force.
The NYPD said the matter is under internal review by its Internal Affairs Bureau. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the video is "upsetting" and confirmed the detectives involved have had their guns and badges taken pending the investigation.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the video "extremely disturbing and unacceptable" in a post on social media, adding that officers "should never treat a person this way."
A witness who recorded the video said the officers did not identify themselves or tell Brown he was under arrest before using force.
The Detectives’ Endowment Association, the union representing NYPD detectives, defended its members in a statement, saying detectives "put their lives on the line daily" and urging the public to wait for all the facts before drawing conclusions.
Brown was initially charged with resisting arrest and later released. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has since dropped the charge.
The Source: This report is based on information from police.