Two Men Charged with Attempted Murder After Brutal Assault on Off-Duty NYPD Officer in Bronx

Bronx, NY – Two individuals, Taveon Hargrove and Wayne Lucas, have been charged with attempted murder and other offenses following a brutal assault and robbery of off-duty NYPD Officer Chowdhury Nafees in the Westchester Square section of the Bronx on May 24, 2025. The attack left the officer with severe facial injuries, including a shoe imprint on his face, and stolen personal items, including his service weapon.

According to Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, the incident occurred around 4:10 a.m. when Hargrove and Lucas allegedly approached Officer Nafees, 27, who was between shifts for the Memorial Day weekend. They allegedly pushed him to the ground, held a knife to his neck, and stole his wallet, cell phones, and Glock 19 9mm service pistol. Prosecutors stated that upon realizing Nafees was a police officer, Hargrove allegedly stomped on his head so forcefully that it left a shoe print on his face.

Officer Nafees, a member of the NYPD since September 2024, suffered head trauma, fractures to his left orbital bone and right cheekbone, and was hospitalized for four days. Surveillance video reportedly captured the vicious assault. Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry stated, "They knew he was a New York City police officer and they viciously beat him to the ground."

Both suspects fled to Virginia after the attack. Taveon Hargrove, 23, was arrested in Virginia on May 27, 2025, and extradited to New York, where he was arraigned on June 25, 2025. Wayne Lucas, 23, was arrested on May 28, 2025, and previously arraigned on June 5, 2025. Both men face multiple charges, including two counts of Attempted Murder in the first degree, four counts of first-degree Robbery, and Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer.

Bronx District Attorney Clark condemned the attack, noting that the defendants allegedly "took this as an invitation to turn up the violence." The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Assistant Paul Irace. Both Hargrove and Lucas are being held without bail and are due back in court on September 12, 2025. While Nafees' wallet and cell phone were recovered, his service weapon has not yet been found.