The suspect, Ernst Delma, 41, was involved in a heated argument with a group of children when the officer attempted to intervene.Delma reacted violently, striking her in the face and knocking her to the ground. The officer sustained a laceration to her lip and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she is reported to be in stable condition.
Footage captured by a bystander shows a male officer restraining Delma on the ground as he struggles to escape. During the scuffle, Delma’s pants fell down, exposing him to onlookers before he was handcuffed.
Witnesses rushed to assist the injured officer, who appeared disoriented and was bleeding from her nose. She was helped to her feet by a member of the public.
Delma, a resident of the area where the attack occurred, has been charged with assaulting a police officer and obstructing law enforcement. According to a police spokesperson, officers attempted to arrest Delma when he “struck an officer in the face.” The video shows other officers rushing to aid their colleague while subduing Delma, with one officer delivering punches to the suspect during the struggle.
Delma continued to resist arrest as officers handcuffed him. He was later taken to St. Barnabas Hospital for evaluation. The NYPD reports that Delma has a history of previous arrests, including charges of assault and burglary.
Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), condemned the attack, stating, “Thankfully, our sister is recovering from this brutal assault. But this is exactly what happens when the justice system cares more about coddling criminals than backing up cops on the street.”
Hendry added, “We’ll be watching to make sure this individual is charged appropriately and kept off the street. Our sister and her partner did their job. Now everyone else in the criminal justice system needs to do theirs.”