FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Police Officer Indicted for Assault, Menacing and Official Misconduct
Stemming from Two On-Duty Incidents Involving Civilians
Allegedly Pepper Sprayed Individual in Sunset Park and Slapped Handcuffed Prisoner
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a New York City Police Officer has been arraigned on an indictment in which he is charged with assault, menacing and official misconduct for two separate on-duty incidents.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Instead of using the de-escalation techniques NYPD officers are trained to employ, this defendant allegedly assaulted a person in custody and threatened a civilian who complained. Trust between law enforcement and the public is essential to sustaining the hard-won gains that have driven homicide and gun violence in Brooklyn to record lows, and we will not allow an officer’s alleged misconduct to put our progress at risk. No one is above the law, and we will seek to hold him accountable through this prosecution.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Quran McPhatter, 42, of the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu on a 13-count indictment in which he is charged with two counts of third-degree assault, four counts of official misconduct, two counts of third-degree attempted assault, one count of third-degree attempted coercion, and four counts of third-degree menacing. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on March 25, 2026.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on August 3, 2025, at approximately 6:45 p.m., in Sunset Park, located on 41st Street between Fifth and Seventh Avenues, a civilian saw an NYPD patrol car driving unsafely through a crowded area in the park. The patrol car was being driven by the defendant and the defendant’s partner was in the passenger seat. The civilian yelled at the defendant to slow down, and the defendant got out of the car and told the civilian to mind his own business.
Furthermore, according to the investigation, the civilian then demanded the defendant’s badge number and when he was near the car door the defendant allegedly opened the door, almost striking the civilian, then sprayed pepper spray on the ground and left. At approximately 7:34 p.m., the civilian went to the 72nd Precinct to report the defendant and identified him in the lobby in street clothes and again asked for his badge number. The defendant then allegedly responded by saying “I am not giving you anything,” and then pushed his chest up against the civilian’s chest. The two were separated by a sergeant and other officers. The defendant allegedly threatened to knock out the civilian and told him to wait outside for the defendant.
In a separate incident, on October 24, 2025, at approximately 12:34 p.m., in the vicinity of 140 58th Street, the defendant and his partner responded to a 60-year-old individual allegedly trespassing and told him to leave the area. A half-hour later they responded again, and the defendant arrested the individual, handcuffed him, allegedly berated him and threw him against the patrol car twice. The individual then was seated in the back seat and antagonizing the defendant, who was driving. During the car ride, the defendant allegedly reached into the backseat and grabbed the individual’s glasses off his face.
When they arrived at the 72nd Precinct, the defendant brought the individual in front of the desk sergeant and allegedly called the individual “a big dummy” and when the individual responded, the defendant allegedly slapped him in the face with an open hand. He was immediately taken off the case by the sergeant. The arrested individual was taken to Lutheran Hospital where he was treated and released.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Christopher Carter, of the District Attorney’s Law Enforcement Accountability Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mark Pagliuco, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Assistant District Attorney Christopher Eribo, Bureau Chief.
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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.