Venezuelan migrants Alexander Robles and Josnan Palacios helped the New York Police Department arrest a robber in Queens. Authorities recognized their value as citizens
On Wednesday, August 21, the New York Police Department (NYPD) held an event to honor two Venezuelan migrants, Alexander Oswaldo Robles Lino and Josnan Alberto Palacios, and to present them with the “Outstanding Citizen Award,” after both helped arrest a man named Randol Contreras, who assaulted a 23-year-old woman in order to rob her at the Jamaica Van Wyck subway station in Queens.
This was stated by the NYPD through its social networks, where it indicated that Robles and Palacios did more than report a crime, but rather helped two officers of that security force to arrest the subject, identified as Randol Contreras, who was stabbing the lady.
On a daily basis, we encourage New Yorkers that “If you see something, say something,” but on July 28, two brave straphangers went above & beyond, and also DID something.
Today, we recognized Josnan & Alexander with the Outstanding Citizen Award. Together, they assisted… pic.twitter.com/BbMc1bPk0l
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 20, 2024
New York Police Chief of Traffic Michael M. Kemper said the work carried out by the two migrants from Venezuela goes beyond linguistic differences.
“Doing the right thing, like Josnan and Alexander did recently at a Queens subway station, transcends all language barriers. Our city owes these men, who hail from Venezuela, a debt of gratitude for stepping up to help a New Yorker in need,” Kemper said.
Robles Lino and Palacios, who witnessed the attack, chased him as Contreras allegedly tried to flee, tackling him to the ground in the street and holding him down until police arrived.
*Read also: This #20Aug the first flight to Colombia took off for migrants who sought to go through Darien
“I watched the body camera footage from the first officer on scene, I saw a sergeant running toward the commotion and what he saw was the bad guy on the ground and Jocelyn and Alexander standing guard over him,” he said.
For his part, Palacios asserted that the important thing was to safeguard the life of the young woman and her own family, and also said that they were in the right place at the right time to prevent the crime and so they can know that not all migrants “are the same,” referring to the xenophobia they suffer when they arrive in the United States.
“Now it is becoming clear that there are people with good intentions and a good heart,” Palacios explained. “In the end, this is something that has to come to light so that everyone can see that we are all equal.”
Robles Lino also said that he did not think twice about saving the young woman’s life. “At that moment, one does not think about acting, one simply does it,” he said.
With information from Journal of the Americas / AMNY
Post Views: 54
