Holly MatkinManhattan, NY – The New York Police Department (NYPD) has released bodycam footage showing a woman assaulting an officer before he hit her in the neck area on Tuesday (video below).
Police were trying to arrest an attempted murder suspect when the woman interfered, leading to the violent confrontation.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and West 136th Street on the afternoon of Aug. 30, WABC reported.
NYPD officers said they were attempting to arrest 22-year-old Elvin James in connection with an attempted murder when a scuffle broke out.
“A struggle ensued and a crowd formed around the officers,” the department said in a media release on Thursday.
In addition to being wanted for his alleged role in the attempted killing, James was also found to be carrying an illegal ghost gun at the time of the altercation, police said.
Cell phone footage showed a woman barging towards police as they were taking James into custody.
She was later identified as James’ girlfriend, 19-year-old Tamani Crum, WABC reported.
Bodycam footage showed Crum demanding to know what was going on as she reached out and appeared to put her hand on James’ upper body.
NYPD Detective Kendo Kinsey immediately stepped in and moved her away from the attempted murder suspect.
“What’s the problem?” she yelled at him, just before she hit the detective in his shoulder, the video showed.
Crum moved closer to James during the attack, and police were still struggling to take him into custody.
Det. Kinsey responded to the strike by hitting Crum in the neck area, knocking her onto the pavement.
“During this encounter, a female acquaintance of this individual began to interfere with the arrest, including striking a detective,” the NYPD said. “The detective fended off that interference and struck the woman with an open hand.”
Additional officers picked Crum up off the ground and arrested her on charges of obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and assault, according to the New York Post.
Crum did not lose consciousness during the incident and was transported to a local hospital at her request, according to police.
By the time she appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday night, Crum was facing just a single count of misdemeanor obstructing governmental administration.
She was released without bail, the New York Post reported.
Police issued a criminal court summons to a 26-year-old woman who allegedly spit at an officer during the melee.
A third woman – 27-year-old Faith Harrell – was charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer, the New York Post reported.
Police said James was found in possession of 20 oxycodone pills and an illegal firearm at the time of his arrest on Tuesday.
He has been charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, the New York Post reported.
The attempted murder case remained under investigation.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference on Thursday that the officers involved in the incident exhibited “great restraint” during the melee, WNYW reported.
“The young lady came, smacked a police officer, the police officer responded,” Adams said.
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell an internal investigation into the incident is underway.
“This incident, including the conduct of the detective who used force, is under ongoing review by our Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Group,” Commissioner Sewell said. “All police body-worn camera footage, as well as other video surveillance from the area and witness statements, are being gathered and reviewed.”
“While the NYPD is committed to the safety of all New Yorkers, we are also committed to transparency,” she added. “Therefore, I have expedited the release of the officers’ body-worn camera footage, and am awaiting the results of IAB’s investigation.”
Detectives Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo said Crum’s actions compounded an already high-risk situation.
“You know, it’s nerve-wracking situation for the detective in that this person had a loaded firearm on him,” DiGiacomo told WABC. “And this individual tried to obstruct and distract the detective from the person that was in possession of the illegal loaded firearm.”
“This could have been a travesty where members of the NYPD and civilians could have been shot by this individual, if he didn’t take the action he took,” he added.
Critics quickly blasted Det. Kinsey for striking Crum during the high-risk arrest and have demanded he be held accountable.
“He shouldn’t have never, never put his hands on her or any female, he’s wrong, he’s wrong,” Crum’s grandmother declared to WABC. “He cold knocked her out. He’s no better than the people whose knocking out people in the streets.”
Jaime Santana, Crum’s defense attorney, said the detective overreacted.
“You mean to tell me a grown man more than twice her size in weight could not handle a 19-year-old female in a different manner?” Santana said, according to WABC.
Crum’s family said they may sue over the incident.
The Detectives Endowment Association said they are considering filing their own lawsuit on Det. Kinsey’s behalf.
“Criminals in NY have grown accustomed to there being no consequences for their dangerous, illegal actions – but when you assault a New York City Detective in order to interfere with an arrest of a man armed with a gun there are repercussions,” the union said in a statement.
“As the [Detectives Endowment Association] explores a possible civil suit on behalf of our dedicated member against the woman who attacked him, we urge politicians to open their eyes and see the public safety disaster they’ve created.”
Det. Kinsey has served the NYPD for the past 17 years, the Daily Beast reported.
The Bronx native served eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps prior to joining the NYPD, the department said in a Facebook post in 2016.
According to the Citizen Complaint Review Board, he has had six complaints filed against him during his career.
The complaints were all filed between 2014 and 2018, the Daily Beast reported.
Two of the six complaints were substantiated.
Det. Kinsey was not disciplined for a substantiated complaint of discourtesy, but he was disciplined for a substantiated complaint of abuse of authority, according to the Daily Beast.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below. Warning – Graphic Content and Obscene Language:
