Community members in the Bronx rallied Thursday in support of and in solidarity with 48-year-old NYPD Officer Muhammad Chowdhury.
The demonstration was a call for justice after Chowdhury was attacked and robbed Tuesday on the same corner the rally was held at — Olmstead and Turnbull Avenue.
“There is a traffic officer who found him on the street laying down after the whole thing,” Numan Syed, Chowdhury’s cousin, said.
What You Need To Know
- NYPD Officer Muhammad Chowdhury was attacked and robbed Tuesday morning at the corner of Olmstead and Turnbull Avenue
- Surveillance video shows three suspects assaulting Chowdhury. Police have released surveillance photos of the suspects
- Police said the suspects made off with the victim’s phone, car keys and wallet
“We need more resources, more police, more firefighters, more state funds so that we can be safe,” Mohammed Mujumder, a paralegal and consultant who was a demonstrator at the rally, said.
Surveillance video shows three suspects assaulting Chowdhury, who was off duty and out on a jog late Tuesday morning.
Syed decried the treatment of Chowdhury and NYPD officers who’ve recently been attacked.
“They don’t deserve it. They don’t deserve to be attacked in the daylight like this,” he said. “And this gentleman he’s one of the finest human being in the community. Everybody knows him.”
Police said the suspects made off with the victim’s phone, car keys and wallet and fled the scene in a black Honda Sedan driven by a fourth person.
Some community members said they want to see reforms to the justice system, including bail reform and blamed recently released offenders.
“Please look back at the bail reform,” one demonstrator said. “Fix this. So we can be here in our city and stay safe.”
“90% of the people, bail reform is working,” William Rivera, a district manager of Community Board 9, said. “10% taking advantage of it Where is the support for our victims?”
Police believe the incident could be connected to a string of now 19 robberies in the past month in the Bronx and Queens.
“I’m calling for about accountability. Let’s find this attacker 01 let’s hold them accountable and let’s send a message that this violence and cannot continue,” Bronx Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez said.
According to Syed, Chowdhury is left in critical but stable condition with a fractured skull and bleeding in the brain.
“He still fighting,” Syed said. “He still fighting. He’s sad, this shouldn’t be happening.”