NYPD officer charged after punching victim 13 times: Prosecutors

An NYPD officer is accused of punching a person more than a dozen times in the face and head, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Prosecutors allege Christian Zapata, 36, a sergeant in the 32nd precinct at the time, punched a victim after responding to a call of an emotionally disturbed child on Dec. 7. Zapata was charged with one count of assault in the third degree, according to prosecutors.

The district attorney's office said Zapata and other officers responded to a call and when the victim 43, tried to check on the child, Zapata told him he was interfering with the paramedics and would be arrested. Another NYPD officer than backed the victim down a hallway of the apartment and was restrained by officers after swatted away the officer's hand, the DA said.

It was at that time that Zapata stepped forward and punched the victim in the face and head approximately 13 times in nine seconds, prosecutors said.

Other officers had to intervene and pull Zapata away from the victim.

The NYPD suspended Zapata after the incident and in August 2023, demoted him to the rank of police officer, according to the DA's office.