Hammer Attack Suspect Hit With 7 Assault Charges
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Police have hit the suspect in a series of hammer attacks with felony assault charges.
David Baril, 30, was shot three times while attacking NYPD Officer Lauren O'Rourke with the claw side of the hammer after she and her partner, Officer Geraldo Casaigne, confronted him on West 37th Street and Eighth Avenue at around 10 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
Seeing his partner being attacked, Casaigne pulled out his pistol and shot Baril. He remains in critical but stable condition at Bellevue Hospital. He was shot in the head, arm and torso, according to police.
Baril has been charged with seven counts of felony assault.
His encounter with police was caught on video:
NYPD video of shooting of hammer-wielding suspect:
The video shows Baril chasing O'Rourke into the intersection and striking her in the head repeatedly. When she falls to the ground, Casaigne opens fire.
"Officer Casaigne quite possibly saved the life of his partner," police Commissioner Bill Bratton said. "You can see from a photo of the hammer, the suspect could have easily killed Officer O'Rourke from a blow to the head."
The officers had been on the lookout for Baril since his alleged four hammer attacks Monday. Cameras captured one of the attacks on West 17th Street near Union Square.
Video shows the hooded suspect approach a woman and her boyfriend from behind. He strikes her in the back of the head and takes off running.
"This individual is not going to be roaming the streets of New York attacking innocents any longer," Bratton said.
Investigators said Baril has been diagnosed with paranoia and schizophrenia, CBS2's Ilana Gold reported.
Baril lived in the Riverdale section of the Bronx with his family until a year ago, Gold reported.
"On his medication, the sweetest guy in the world. Off the medication, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," said neighbor Fred Faga.
Neighbors added Baril was unstable and unpredictable, Gold reported.
"If I saw him walking towards me and I didn't know him, I would walk across the street," Faga said. "That's how intimidating he was."