I observed what I believe was excessive force from two policemen on the platform, Queensboro Station (Ditmars-bound N, Flushing-bound 7) from ~4:20am to 4:38am.
I got a flat tire on my bicycle, cutting short an early morning ride, so I went to Queensboro Station to take the N-train back to my home. The time was around 4:20am.
When I got onto the platform, a few men who were waiting for the train told me of a man that was being "beat up bad" by two policemen. I went to the east end of the platform and observed one higher ranking officer (lieutenant was what one witness told me, a.k.a. "white shirt") and a uniform officer struggling with a man who was down on the ground. When the man who was being restrained would wriggle (and even when he didn't), the "white shirt" would hit him forcefully with his nightstick. I was at an angle at which I could see the "white shirt" strike the restrained man's torso at where the liver is and close or on the bottom of the left ribcage. This went on for about eight minutes before the uniform officer used his radio. A couple of minutes later, about ten uniform and four plain-clothes officers arrived to assist. The N-train arrived at that time (4:38am), and I boarded the train. The man ("suspect") was not moving, and I heard the sound of a fire truck, possibly arriving at the station.
Two witnesses spoke to me at length, including one who was there when the "white shirt" and the uniform officer approach the suspect. They told me the following:
There was some talking to the suspect from the "white shirt", and after a bit the suspect started to walk away. One of the officers sprayed mace toward the suspect at close range and the suspect put his arm up to shield his eyes and tried to run away. The uniform officer put the suspect in a "choke hold" — both witnesses demonstrated and described to me the type that is banned by NYPD policy. Both witnesses recalled that the suspect was hit numerous times and specifically mentioned that the blows to the legs seemed to be hard enough to break them.
I asked another person who was observing the struggle whether there was blood and he said, "Yes — a lot." When the N-train arrived, two witnesses entered the train car with me; Both of them were able to get a good look out the window at the suspect, and both of them said it "looked bad".
One of the witnesses took pictures during the first part of the incident. Some others who were waiting for the Ditmars-bound N-train or the Flushing-bound 7-train saw another person taking a video of the incident, but they said that person got nervous and left.
One of the witnesses also recounted a few times when the "white shirt", who often strolled through the train, would address passengers on the N-train: one he told to move his feet out of the aisleway, another couple of passengers were told to adjust how their smartphones or purses were situated so that "some young guy doesn't come in and snatch it" (quote from witness). The witnesses' impression was that the "white shirt" "must be crazy."
I asked the man who took pictures to send them to me and that I would make sure they got to you and other news outlets. I haven't received them yet, and I don't know whether he will send them, but if and when I received them I will immediately send them to you.
I believe that Queensboro Plaza is served by the 117th Precinct.
I have lived at my address in Astoria for over 25 years.
Personal thoughts: This is the sort of incident of police behavior that I thought I would never witness. However, I also have never been terribly impressed by officers that I have encountered who are stationed in the 117th Precinct. Although I have never seen something as bad as what I saw this morning, I don't trust at least some of those who are work out of that precinct. I also am not happy with their patrol and enforcement priorities, which to me seem to favor roaming around the projects and not preventing crime in my neighborhood. This incident I describe is also not the first over-reactive police event that I have heard of; a couple have occurred in my area, too. Unfortunately, the details have faded from my memory with time.
Let's hope that those who took pictures and the video file complaints, post the photos, and send the photos and their observations to news outlets and civil-rights organizations so that the officers involved can be dealt with and disciplined for their excessive and improper behavior.
