An NYPD officer is facing charges for allegedly using a chokehold that has been illegal since the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020.
Officer Omar Habib, 40, was arrested and arraigned in Bronx County on charges including second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault, as shared by Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark.
The incident occurred on July 29, 2023, when Habib responded to a disturbance at a Bronx catering hall. After a man, described as drunk and disorderly, resisted arrest, Habib is accused of applying a chokehold, cutting off the man’s airflow and causing him to temporarily lose consciousness.
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This hold was banned following the infamous case where former officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck during an arrest, leading to Floyd’s death and widespread civil rights protests. Chauvin was convicted and sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison for his actions.
Clark emphasized that Habib’s alleged actions represent a violation of his duty as a police officer. “Police officers must adhere to the law,” she stated in a press release.
This indictment marks a significant development, being the first against a police officer in Bronx County under the legislation that prohibits restraints that impede airflow or blood circulation during an arrest.
Habib, who has been suspended, was released and is set to return to court on October 15. Having joined the NYPD in 2007, his record includes previous misconduct complaints related to excessive force.
In 2017, he faced allegations of using a chokehold on a Bronx resident after the individual criticized him during a confrontation, according to reports from The City, a local news outlet.