An NYPD detective who was stabbed and slashed seven times during a brazen Bronx robbery has been released from the hospital and is recovering from his injuries.
“I’m feeling much better, thank you,” Det. Jose Mercedes, a 10-year NYPD veteran assigned to the 44th Precinct, told the New York Post on Saturday.
Mercedes, 33, was off duty on Oct. 2 and cleaning out the trunk of his car when two suspects allegedly ambushed him in an attempt to steal his gold chain, according to the NYPD.
Detective Jose Mercedes was wheeled out of Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park on Monday before standing and receiving applause from a group of fellow officers. (NYPD)
The detective fought back and attempted to defend himself before the attackers allegedly stabbed him at least seven times in the neck and leg. The suspects then ripped the chain from his neck and escaped on a motorized bike, police and sources told the Post.
Video obtained by the newspaper showed Mercedes covered in blood as he was placed in an ambulance following the attack. He was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and released several days later.
Dozens of NYPD officers gathered Monday evening to welcome Mercedes as he left the hospital in a wheelchair. Bagpipes played while his colleagues applauded, and the detective later rose to his feet, smiled and gave the crowd a thumbs-up.
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D’Angelo Rafael Jean Caraballo, 25, (left) and Sneider Mejia Bautista, 24, (right), both Dominican citizens living illegally in the United States, are accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes. (Department of Homeland Security; NYPD)
Police identified the alleged attackers as D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24. According to the NYPD, Caraballo was identified as the alleged attacker who wielded the knife, while Mejia was accused of driving the motorized bike.
Federal authorities identified both suspects as illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic. The NYPD said they were discovered hiding in the basement of a home in Lynn, Massachusetts, and taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on Wednesday.
The two attackers remain at large. (NYPD)
The two men were ordered held without bail during a joint appearance in Lynn District Court. Police said they are expected to be returned to New York City, where they will face attempted murder charges.