An 11-year-old Venezuelan migrant in New York City has been described as the “primary aggressor” in a violent subway robbery and is allegedly connected to other muggings around Central Park, police said.
The young boy and a 17-year-old boy were both arrested Tuesday night after being accused of jumping a passenger for his phone on the Manhattan-bound seven train, the New York Post reported.
“He just kinda grabbed [my phone] and, from there, they passed it around,” the alleged victim, a 24-year-old man, told the outlet. “When I fought back to try to get my phone, they attacked. They jumped me.”
The man said the alleged attack involved four assailants.
He told police that the alleged incident took place around 8:40 p.m. near the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop in Queens and that the 11-year-old was the “primary aggressor.”
“He was essentially provoking it,” the disgruntled subway rider told the Post. “He was just up in my face and stuff like that.”
The young boy and the teenager were arrested later that night near the Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan, law enforcement sources revealed to the publication.
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Investigators also determined that the 11-year-old had allegedly used credit cards that were stolen in a series of Central Park muggings after reviewing surveillance footage.
“At this point in time, we’re ready to call it: This is a migrant robbery pattern,” New York City Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Patrol John Chell said.
Approximately ten robberies that occurred in or along the southern end of Central Park have allegedly been linked to a group of 10-12 migrant boys and young men, according to the department.
“We think they’re responsible for most of them, if not all of them,” Chell added.
A “senior law enforcement” source claimed that the notorious Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua is a possible connection.
After their arrests, the 11-year-old was reportedly issued a juvenile report and released to a guardian, and the 17-year-old was taken into custody, also on a juvenile report.
It is unclear if they were staying in the Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter.
“This is a product of a government with no plan on how to properly integrate these immigrants into our society,” a disappointed NYPD supervisor told the Post.
An NYPD detective called out Mayor Eric Adams (D) for allowing the migrant disaster to happen.
“The city has to protect these kids,” the Brooklyn investigator said. “The mayor cannot say the city has done an amazing job handling the migrant situation when you see cases like this… This shows the city is failing.”
The alleged victim added that “it’s pretty upsetting since he’s 11 and out on the subway doing this stuff.”
“Honestly, they need more strict parenting if their kid is like this,” he said. “Whatever they are doing is not working.”