BRONX, NY—Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark has announced the indictment of NYPD Officer Omar Habib, 40, for using an illegal chokehold on a suspect during an arrest attempt, which resulted in the suspect losing consciousness.
This incident marks the first indictment under New York City Statute 10-181, which explicitly prohibits certain methods of restraint by police officers.
Officer Habib, assigned to the 47th Precinct, was responding to a call at a catering hall on Eastchester Road on the evening of July 29, 2023.
It is alleged that during an attempt to arrest a disorderly, intoxicated man, Habib employed a chokehold that significantly impeded the man’s breathing and circulation, causing him to temporarily lose consciousness.
Habib has been charged with second-degree strangulation, second-degree criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, third-degree assault, and unlawful methods of restraint. He was arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Brenda Rivera and released on his own recognizance, with a court date set for October 15, 2024.
District Attorney Clark emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “The defendant allegedly violated his oath of office by employing a technique to subdue a suspect which is specifically prohibited under New York City law. Police officers must adhere to the law.”
