Man arrested for choking 7-year-old boy in Manhattan
A man was arrested on Monday for choking a 7-year-old boy in an unprovoked attack in Manhattan, cops said.
John Shepherd, 54, is accused of randomly attacking the child around 2:45 p.m. Monday on East 86th Street near Second Avenue on the Upper East Side, cops said.
The kid was walking with his 24-year-old brother when Shepherd allegedly ran up from behind and grabbed him by the neck, growling, “I’m going to kill you!”
The older brother tried to intervene, but the suspect fell on top of the boy during the scuffle, cops said.
Both the brother and another bystander held the suspect at the scene until police arrived.
The boy suffered a cut on his neck and lip, and was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment.
Shepherd, who police believe was either intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, was nabbed at the scene and brought to Metropolitan Hospital Center for a psychological evaluation.
He was later charged with reckless assault of a child, strangulation, harassment and acting in a manner injurious to a child.
Additional reporting by Tamar Lapin