Illegal Immigrants Arrested After Stabbing Off-Duty NYPD Detective
Two illegal immigrants accused of stabbing an off-duty NYPD detective were arrested after a five-day manhunt.
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Two illegal immigrants accused of stabbing an off-duty NYPD detective were arrested after a five-day manhunt following the incident in the Bronx. D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24, were found hiding in the basement of a house in Lynn, Massachusetts, and taken into custody overnight, the NYPD announced.
Arrest After Attempted Murder
The suspects were apprehended for the attempted murder of Detective Jose Mercedes, 33, who was attacked on an e-bike as he retrieved items from his car’s trunk on Friday. The pair allegedly tried to steal his gold chain, prompting Mercedes to fight back. Caraballo stabbed him seven times, leaving the detective bleeding on the sidewalk.
Mercedes was hospitalized and survived after the blade missed his vital organs. He was recently wheeled out of the hospital before standing and walking on his own in front of hundreds of cheering NYPD officers.
Immigration Background and Legal Issues
Both suspects, citizens of the Dominican Republic, crossed the southern border illegally in Arizona at different times and were released into the country by the Biden administration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had previously issued a detainer for Mejia, but city officials declined to honor it under New York City’s sanctuary policies.
Mejia received a deportation order last year. Caraballo was arrested in July on a menacing charge after allegedly threatening to stab a person who rented him a room in the Bronx. He was also arrested in 2025 on a firearm possession charge after he allegedly had a loaded .380 Taurus gun in his car.
Collaborative Effort in the Manhunt
The NYPD expressed gratitude to the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force for their support in the case. The post emphasized that if anyone attempts to come for the suspects, they will face the full force of the NYPD.
Source: Daily Wire
