Footage circulating local social media depicts officers restraining and beating a man accused of disorderly conduct, harassment, and resisting arrest at the corner of Huron Street and Manhattan Avenue.
Police were called to Headrush Barbershop on Friday, February 21, at 7 pm, where 29-year-old Wilmar Alvarado was apparently intoxicated and rowdy.
In videos shared with Greenpointers, officers quickly approach and restrain Alvarado, pinning him to the ground. One officer starts punching and kicking him as a crowd begins to form. Witnesses can be heard yelling at the officers to stop.
At one point, it appears that an officer starts to pull out a Taser.
Warning: this footage is distressing.
According to the NYPD:
“An employee at the location informed the officers he did not want the individual inside of the store. The officers observed this individual with an open container of alcohol and attempted to issue a summons. When an officer attempted to take him into custody, the individual did place one officer in a headlock causing injury to the officer’s head, arm, and neck and additionally, hooked his leg around the officer’s leg causing the officer to fall. Perp also attempted to swing a glass bottle at officers.”
Police charged Alvarado with assault on a police officer, strangulation, obstruction of governmental administration, and alcoholic beverage public consumption. The NYPD shared that they arrested Alvarado for getting into a dispute in the same area just a month ago.
Social media users identified the officer who beat Alvarado as Rikelmi Abreurojas. Abreurojas joined the force in 2023 and joined the 94th Precinct in January 2024.
The NYPD did not confirm that this was the officer in question, or comment on either officers’ conduct.
Headrush Barbershop, as well as the neighboring business Archestratus, posted footage of the incident on social media. Assemblymember Emily Gallagher shared the footage on Instagram stories, calling the behavior “completely unacceptable” and calling the officers involved to be held accountable.
In a comment under the Archestratus post, Council Member Lincoln Restler also said the behavior was “totally unacceptable” and called for a swift investigation into the matter.
I’m just happy to see the 94th precinct actually working for a change. That corner in front of the barbershop is always filled with thugs with open containers, parked cars playing loud music, and generally treating a public street as if it’s their own living room. Don’t drink in public, don’t disrupt the peace, don’t cause noise pollution, and don’t be inconsiderate towards everyone else. Furthermore, if you’re being detained don’t turn around, run, and proceed to wrestle with the police. Was the kicking and punching excessive? Sure. But if you’re resisting arrest you’re asking to be man-handled. The cops have a right to protect themselves & care for their safety. They don’t know the assailant, and they don’t know if he has weapons. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
There is a fine line between coddling the criminal ie no enforcement or let them out a million times after serious crimes and excessive force. At least in this video it seems they went over that fine line to the latter.
Nothing to see here.
Dude’s not even cuffed and is actively resisting arrest. What kind of journalism is this?
Shame on Emily. Everything she does is either out of touch or just plain stupid. She needs to take her head out of her ass. Also “Stop hitting him!” As he actively resists arrest and fights and officer to the ground. Jesus Christ is everyone’s brain turning to mush? Even while on the ground he was face up trying to kick the officer on top of him and resisting turning over. Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Good for the 94
A.C.A.B.
These cops are great and doing their jobs!