A Saturday near Bryant Park took a jarring turn when police say a 49-year-old man hurled a cellphone that struck a baby girl in a stroller, then hit the child's mother in Midtown Manhattan. The infant suffered minor injuries and the mother declined medical treatment at the scene, according to police. Officers took the suspect into custody, and an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending.
What police say
Police identified the suspect as 49-year-old Marc Okon and said he is homeless and had no prior contact with the child's 39-year-old mother, according to New York Daily News. The outlet reported the incident unfolded at Sixth Avenue and West 41st Street, just off Bryant Park. Officers moved in and cuffed Okon after the second throw, and the baby was left with only minor injuries, the report said.
Midtown context
The confrontation arrives in the middle of a restless summer in Midtown, with a run of scuffles and crowd-control headaches keeping police busy. That has included tense watch parties that drew extra police attention, according to Hoodline. Authorities have been reviewing surveillance footage and stepping up patrols around busy stretches near the New York Public Library and Bryant Park.
Charges and next steps
NYPD charged Okon with assault, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment. Courthouse filings showed an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending, according to New York Daily News. Bail and other court details were not immediately available. The baby and her mother were not hospitalized, the report said.
