NYPD sergeant charged with attacking suspects who called him racial slurs

A New York City Police Department sergeant has been charged over two arrests where he is accused of attacking the suspects, one of whom called him a racial slur during the arrest.

Sgt. Phillip Wong was charged on Thursday for misdemeanor assault in the third agree and misdemeanor attempted assault in the third degree stemming from arrests made in October 2019 and April 2020, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said in a statement.

In the October 2019 case, Wong was transporting a person to a holding cell when the 48-year-old man kicked the cell doors and spit on the officers.

Wong allegedly pushed past other officers and opened the cell door to punch the man in the face. The man had to go to the hospital and receive stitches above his eye.

The second case in April 2020 involved an arrest where a suspect kicked Wong and called him anti-Asian slurs.

Wong allegedly took the man to the ground with the other officers and knelt on his back. The 35 year old told Wong he couldn’t breathe.

 “I don’t give a f— if you can breathe or not!” Wong said before punching the suspect in the face. The man went to the hospital, where medical professionals said there were no physical injuries.

“As alleged, this Sergeant grossly violated his training – and the law – during the arrests of these two individuals, whose conduct did not justify these violent responses,” Vance stated.

Wong pleaded not guilty to the charges on Thursday as defense lawyer Andrew Quinn said outside the courtroom the matter should have been handled internally by the NYPD, NBC News reported.

“When they see the video [of the incidents], they’ll be as surprised as we are that this case went to criminal court,” Quinn said, “I thought that this case should have been handled administratively within the NYPD.”

“People say vile, terrible things to police officers all the time and this is on a daily basis. I mean, a cop can’t step out of a car anymore in this city without somebody shouting either an ethnic or racial slur … at the officer,” Quinn added.

“This is much more indicative of … the lack of respect for police officers citywide.”

The Hill has reached out to Quinn for comment.