NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The NYPD arrested a man Thursday in connection with a snowball fight in Washington Square Park that police said ended with a group of people pelting NYPD officers with snow and ice, leaving two of them injured.
Police said Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, of the Bronx, was charged with felony assault on a police officer, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.
“This morning, the NYPD arrested Gusmane Coulibaly, 27 years old, for assaulting our officers earlier this week in Washington Square Park,” the NYPD posted on X earlier Thursday.
“Mr. Coulibaly was previously arrested less than three weeks ago for an attempted robbery in the transit system,” the statement continued.
Police are still searching for three other suspects in the incident.
Monday afternoon’s planned, post-blizzard snowball fight attracted a large crowd of people to the park in Greenwich Village, but police said it ended with a group intentionally hurling snow and ice at NYPD officers.
Two officers suffered injuries to their head, neck and face, police said. They were hospitalized in stable condition.
Videos posted on social media showed two officers who entered the park getting pelted with snowballs from seemingly all directions. The officers pushed at least two people to the ground as snowballs flew by and attendees filmed with their phones. One officer’s face appeared to be reddened and he could be seen rubbing his eye.
Additional videos showed people throwing snowballs at other officers who were on the street just outside the park.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism from police advocates after he suggested he didn't believe criminal charges are warranted.
“I’ve said time and time again that, having seen these videos, to me it was a snowball fight that got out of hand and it should be treated accordingly,” he told reporters Wednesday when asked if anyone should be prosecuted.
Meanwhile, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch denounced the incident as “disgraceful” and “criminal.”
The union representing patrol officers, the Police Benevolent Association, quickly seized on the incident as evidence that respect for officers has declined under the new mayor.
Following the arrest, PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement Thursday: “A 27-year-old with a recent attempted robbery arrest is not a ‘kid.’ This arrest sends a clear message that assaults on police officers cannot and will not be minimized or tolerated.”
“We thank all of the NYPD members who have worked so hard on this case, and all of the New Yorkers who have spoken up in support of our police officers. There is more work to be done to hold accountable all who participated in this shameful attack,” Hendry’s statement continued.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.