An undercover New York City police detective was arrested on Tuesday after investigators found footage of him allegedly taking part in a motorcyclists' group attack on a motorist, CNN reported.
32-year-old Wojciech Braszczok was allegedly seen in the video hitting and kicking 33-year-old Alexian Lien's SUV while Lien was trying to escape the group of bikers during a Sept. 29 chase that culminated in Lien being pulled out of his vehicle, beaten and slashed with a knife. He was charged with riot and criminal mischief in connection with the assault.
Though footage of the pursuit leading up to the attack was widely distributed online, Braszczok's involvement was reportedly discovered on separate video. WCBS-TV reported that his arrest came a day after his lawyer, Phil Karasyk, told investigators his client had only witnessed the attack.
The incident took place during a rally involving members of the "Hollywood Stuntz" who were planning to congregate in Times Square. Authorities told WCBS that Braszczok did not tell the department he was at the event until three days later, reportedly out of concern over blowing his cover.
New York Detectives' Endowment Association President Michael Palladino told CNN in a statement that, "The facts are evolving and changing so quickly that the union will withhold any further comment until we see what further investigation reveals."
Three suspects have been charged with felonies in connection with the attack, but the Los Angeles Times reported that members of the group are angry that Lien has not been charged, arguing that he instigated the chase when he ran over one of the bikers, 32-year-old Edwin Mieses Jr., and then hit another member as they drew near the SUV.
"If he'd just apologized and stopped and said, 'I'm sorry,' we would have probably forgiven him," one rider, Louis Castaldo, was quoted as saying.
Watch CNN's report on Braszczok's arrest, aired Tuesday, below.
