NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Mayor Eric Adams defended one of his top advisers after he was involved in an altercation with multiple security guards last week, stating that in the 30-something years they’ve known one another he’s “never witnessed him displaying a violent action.”
On Oct. 17 Tim Pearson – a retired NYPD inspector and current City Hall aide who Adams has put in charge of assessing migrant shelters – made an unannounced visit to a shelter at Touro College in Midtown and got into a confrontation with guards after not being granted admittance.
“I need a quality assurance person that is going to let me know directly, this is what I’m seeing on the ground,” Adams said in defense of Pearson’s unannounced shelter inspections during a press briefing Tuesday.
“If you call and say ‘Eric is on his way’ to a location, everybody’s going to make sure everything’s all right. That is not how you do it,” Adams said.
There are conflicting reports regarding the happenings of the incident last week, which included guard Terrence Rosenthal, who was arrested and arraigned on charges of obstructing government administration and harassment.
According to the Daily News, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said in its report that Pearson “identified himself to [Rosenthal] as a government official.”
A Daily News report from Oct. 18 – which cites police sources – states that Pearson was with officers from the NYPD’s Public Safety Unit, all in uniform, when they arrived at the migrant shelter and the incident occurred when Rosenthal, 29, “bumped” Pearson as he tried to move past him.
“[Pearson] identified himself, but the guy was getting aggressive,” according to the police source. “The guy was acting very unprofessionally.”
Twelve witnesses wrote accounts as part of a city Office of Emergency Management investigation stating that Pearson refused to identify himself even when asked multiple times, according to a report by The City last week.
All of the testimonials describe Pearson laying hands on a female security guard, which initiated a larger brawl as the other security guards tried to protect her, The City reported.
Legal Aid Society spokesman Redmond Haskins, whose organizations is representing Rosenthal, said “Terrence Rosenthal, who has no prior contact with the criminal legal system, was merely doing his job as a security officer and following protocol when Tim Pearson attempted to forcefully enter the Touro respite center for new arrivals,” according to a Oct. 19 Daily News report.
“We do not have further comment, but support the current investigation into Pearson’s action and urge District Attorney Alvin Bragg to immediately dismiss the charges pending against Mr. Rosenthal,” Haskins concluded.
Adams confirmed that he has not seen video of the event, but stated that “If there are videos or anything else, we’re going to follow normal procedures about releasing information.”
When asked, Adams declined to comment on whether Pearson is exempt from rules requiring one identify themselves at a migrant shelter.
Adams wouldn’t comment directly on the potential consequences if Pearson was found to have responded violently
“He’s a professional, and the review will determine if we have to do something different in how our procedures are done. Let the review do… Take its job” Adams said.
The Touro migrant shelter was evacuated on Monday and its residents relocated after the FDNY ordered its closure due to a deficient fire alarm system.