Jose Bencosme, 22, has been indicted in the Bronx after prosecutors say he turned on FDNY EMTs who came to his Sedgwick Avenue apartment to help him, leaving two medics injured and one with a deep head wound that needed staples. The charges stem from an April 9 call to a Morris Heights building where crews say they were punched and beaten in a hallway while trying to render aid. Bencosme was arraigned and is due back in Bronx Supreme Court in August.
Bronx DA moves to prosecute
The Bronx District Attorney’s office said Bencosme was arraigned on two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault and two counts of second-degree harassment, according to Norwood News. Prosecutors said his supervised release status was continued at the arraignment and confirmed that he is expected back in court this August.
In its statement, the DA’s office underscored that first responders had “arrived at the defendant’s residence to render medical aid” and stressed that violence against frontline workers “will not be tolerated.”
What happened on April 9
According to NBC New York, EMTs were dispatched late on April 9 to the Sedgwick Avenue building for a report of an “altered mental status.” When they tried to assist, they were allegedly attacked in a hallway. Video and eyewitness accounts from the response showed blood and broken glass scattered across multiple hallways as additional crews forced their way in to reach the injured medics.
Police arrested Bencosme at the scene, and he was initially charged with assault.
Victims and injuries
Prosecutors identified the injured EMTs as Felix Mezquita Jr. and Ali Issa. They say Mezquita suffered a head laceration that required about five staples, while Issa sustained bruising and swelling to his face and head. Both were treated at St. Barnabas Hospital, according to Norwood News.
Officials also reported that several other EMTs were hurt as they tried to reach their colleagues, including cuts and scrapes from forcing entry into the building.
Legal stakes
Because the alleged victims are emergency medical technicians, prosecutors can pursue enhanced assault charges under New York law. Assault in the second degree is a class D violent felony that can carry a sentence of up to seven years in prison, according to state legal guides and jury instructions. The statute specifically lists EMTs and other health and emergency workers as protected categories, which allows felony charges even when injuries do not rise to the higher “serious physical injury” threshold. For more on the statute and possible penalties, see FindLaw.
First responders raise alarm
Union leaders and city officials have tied this case to a broader uptick in workplace violence against EMS crews, saying hundreds of incidents were logged across FDNY’s EMS ranks last year. The trend has fueled renewed calls for stronger safety measures for medics who often walk into unpredictable scenes with little backup. City leaders have said they will review policies in the wake of the April attack, and union officials have urged faster reforms.
For earlier reporting on the assault and union reaction, see News 12 The Bronx.
Prosecutors say they plan to move forward on the indictment. Bencosme is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty, and he faces the new counts in Bronx Supreme Court. The DA’s office and police continue to investigate, and the case has added to mounting pressure from unions and officials who are pushing for stronger protections for EMTs on the job.
