A cop at one of the city’s most notorious homeless shelters has been suspended after getting caught on video slugging a Venezuelan asylum seeker, officials said.
Meiver Martinez, 21, was in the Bedford-Atlantic Armory shelter around 6 a.m. Wednesday when he got into a spat with the city Department of Homeless Services officer, who’s seen punching him, according to 1010 WINS radio.
On Thursday, the city Department of Social Services suspended the unidentified officer.
“Protecting the health and safety of our clients and staff is our top priority at all times and we do not tolerate any violence or misconduct against our clients,” a DSS spokesperson said in a statement.
“After a preliminary review of this incident, we are taking immediate action to suspend the DHSPD officer involved while we complete a full investigation,” the statement said.
“Our staff are trained to lead with care and compassion at all times and we work closely with all our clients to ensure that we are maintaining open lines of communication and addressing any concerns as they arise.”
An investigation of the incident is still underway. Immigration CoalitionThe agency added that Martinez “is not in custody,” and that it’s working with the district attorney’s office to investigate the incident.
Brooklyn prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Footage of the incident posted on Twitter by the Immigrant Coalition shows the irate victim yelling at the cop and kicking a nearby locker.
The officer then throws a punch and hits the man in the face.
In a report in March on the city’s beleaguered shelter system, The Post identified the Crown Heights homeless facility “as one of the most dangerous facilities in the Big Apple.”
