339 alleged violent criminals arrested in New York City by U.S. Marshals-NYPD joint fugitive task force
NEW YORK -- U.S. Marshals launched a major operation in 10 cities to take some of the country's most violent criminals off the streets, and New York led the crime list.
Operation North Star led to the arrests of 339 alleged violent criminals in the city. Forty-one were wanted for homicide or attempted murder, 109 for robbery, 84 for aggravated assault and 23 for sexual assault.
Dramatic video shows the raids, which were mounted by a joint fugitive task force made up of U.S. Marshals and NYPD officers to help take some of the city's most dangerous criminals off the streets of the city.
The operation began just after dawn. Members of the joint federal-city fugitive task force drove to the Bronx on the hunt for one of the city's most violent criminals.
Surprise was of the essence as they walked up the stairs of a Soundview apartment house. They drilled the lock. There was screaming.
They got their man, arresting 20-year-old Movado Bromley who, officials said, was wanted for a host of charges, including parole violations, weapons charges and a Bridgeport, Connecticut, shooting.
Bromley was one of 339 violent criminals arrested in New York City in June as part of a national imitative to get what officials called the worst of the worst off the streets. The task force initially focused on fugitives in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan but then expanded their actions.
"We made apprehensions for violent criminals in Brooklyn, Queens and also out-of-state fugitives who came to New York who were wanted for murder," said Edward McMahon, chief of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Also arrested as part of the sweep was Travis Blake, the alleged suspect in the grisly murder of three people found dead in a South Jamaica home on 155th Street in June.
"This is about targeted, intelligence-driven crime-fighting, and above all else, again, it's about consequences. If you commit a violent felony in our city, we will find you, we will arrest you and we will build a case to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said.
The actions come as the Mayor Eric Adams and the police commissioner have been dealing with a stunning wave of violence. Over 50 people were shot over the July 4th weekend. The police commissioner sought to reassure New Yorkers that while shootings soared, the NYPD was not sitting idly by.
"Five homicides over the weekend have already been closed out with arrests. We seized 55 firearms and made 57 gun arrests over the weekend, and there were a total of 580 major felony arrests," Sewell said.
The mayor is expected to highlight some of the NYPD's successes when he hosts the first of a series of community conversations on public safety at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
The mayor and police officials will do it again Thursday when they will talk about the record number of gun arrests.