NYPD: Tyrone Cooper Facing Charges After Harlem Mother Brutally Attacked Outside Liquor Store
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Law enforcement officials provided an update Tuesday in the case of a woman who said she was brutally attacked outside a Harlem liquor store after she declined a man's offer to pay for a bottle of wine.
The NYPD said one of the suspects is in custody after getting arrested for another assault, CBS2's Lisa Rozner reported.
The scars from Jan. 18 sent shockwaves throughout Harlem and beyond after CBS2 told the story of a 31-year-old woman who was chased, kicked and aggressively bitten outside a liquor store on West 128th Street.
Surveillance video obtained by CBS2 shows the incident happened just after she had walked inside alone to buy a bottle of wine and after the victim said a man, who police identified as 22-year-old Tyrone Cooper, offered to pay.
The victim told CBS2 on Jan. 20, "I politely declined and I said, 'No, no thank you, but thank you. I can pay for it myself,' and I got ready to walk out. Before I walk out he basically said that he felt I thought I was better than them."
Cooper was taken into police custody on Sunday for a separate incident. He appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Tuesday for allegedly choking and punching his girlfriend at an apartment building on 51st Street in East Flatbush.
Sources told Rozner the victim told police Cooper misunderstood something she said.
The judge ordered him to be held on $3,000 bail.
CBS2 has learned Cooper was to be brought to the 32nd Precinct in Harlem and is expected to be charged in the attack outside the liquor store.
MORE: Harlem Community Gathers Together To Show Support For Victim Of Brutal Attack Outside Liquor Store
Criminal complaints from Brooklyn and Manhattan show he was arrested several times in the last year for other alleged assaults.
"There needs to be some penalties and he needs to be arrested and not back out on these streets. He needs to do some time," community activist Tony Herbert said.
In Brooklyn, Cooper allegedly asked someone for money, punched them in the face and pushed them to the ground at the Clark Street subway station back in May.
In Manhattan, the district attorney said Cooper was arrested multiple times last year for charges relating to fare evasion at the Canal Street station, and the West 34th Street station.
He is also facing charges of gang assault, menacing and harassment in connection to a slashing at the Church Street station last year.
He's also accused of stealing Metropolitan Transportation Authority gate keys at the Park Avenue South station.
Now that Cooper is in police custody, the victim in the Harlem attack posted on Instagram, "I couldn't and still can't understand why so much rage?"
She pointed out that two other suspects in her attack have still not been caught and said, "I'm healing well and continuing to appreciate life as it is ... 1 down, 2 to go!"
As for the prior arrests, Cooper's lawyer said he had been complying with check-ins for supervised release and pleaded that he not be sent to Rikers Island because he has asthma. The judge denied that request, saying the client's behavior was disturbing.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
