What to Know
- An NYPD officer bought a sandwich from a Queens bodega and found a razor blade when he took a bite; he cut his mouth
- The officer was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released; Bon Appetit issued a lengthy apology, said it was "deeply concerned"
- NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea on Saturday said the incident "was indeed an accident"
A razor blade found in an NYPD officer’s sandwich at a specialty food store on Thursday ended up there by accident, the department said Saturday.
The Critical Response Command officer bought a sandwich at Bon Appetit in Rockaway Park around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, took a bite and immediately realized he had a cut in his mouth, a police spokesman said. He found the blade inside the sandwich soon after.
The NYPD was initially investigating the incident as a possible act of violence against the officer, but Commissioner Dermot Shea on Saturday said the incident was an accident.
A polies spokeswoman told NBC 4 New York that construction was being carried out at the shop, and razor blades were left behind. The spokeswoman didn't immediately provide any additional details.
“After a thorough investigation by @NYPDDetectives it’s been determined that the razor incident was indeed an accident-thankfully our officer or another customer wasn’t seriously injured,” Shea tweeted.
“Appropriate agencies have been notified for follow up to ensure this never happens again,” he added.
The officer, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital after the incident, where he was treated and released.
News
Officials say there have been no known past issues at the deli. The store's management issued a statement Friday afternoon offering its "deepest apologies" to the officer involved in this "unfortunate incident."
"In our experience, the NYPD officers of the 100th and 101st precincts have been an examplary example of professionalism and service to not only our business but to our local community in the Rockaways, Queens, and New York City at large," the statement continued.
"If given the opportunity, the management of Bon Appetit would like to personally apologize to the officer and the rest of the local law enforcement community."
The statement went on to say Bon Appetit takes great pride in its food and strives to always leave customers satisfied. It said it was disturbed and "deeply concerned" by the razor incident, adding, "We use a variety of tools to prepare our food, but none should ever be found in any food item meant for customer consumption."
Bon Appetit pledged full cooperation with the NYPD in its investigation and said it would offer up any surveillance footage that may assist the probe. It will also be conducting an international investigation, the store said.
