NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Police released photos on Wednesday of a man wanted in connection with pretending to be a cop and pepper-spraying a tourist who allegedly didn't pay the subway fare last week.
The incident happened on Sunday, June 23, at around 6:35 p.m. inside the Whitehall Street–South Ferry subway station on the northbound R train, according to police.
An unidentified suspect, wearing an NYPD Detective shield on a chain around his neck, was unlawfully stopping commuters and pretending to be a police officer, cops said.
The suspect saw a family enter the station through an open exit gate without paying the fare, according to the Daily News. He then put on a fake NYPD badge and tried to stop the tourists.
One of the victims, a 46-year-old man, tried to walk away from the suspect. The suspect then sprayed pepper spray on the back of the man's head, according to police.
The victim, who had burning and swelling on his face, went to NYC Health + Hospitals / Bellevue on his own. He was treated and released in stable condition.
The suspect fled on a northbound R train. Surveillance video last showed the suspect at the 8th Street-NYU subway station, before leaving the transit system, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).