Cop Arrested On Train: I Was Defending Myself

An off-duty NYPD officer arrested after allegedly pointing his gun at Long Island Rail Road passengers has said he was defending himself against unruly hockey fans, but authorities said Tuesday the now-suspended cop broke the law when he brandished his weapon.

“The allegation is that he was not acting in any legal law enforcement capacity, and he allegedly used his weapon to menace the passengers, so it doesn’t matter that he’s licensed or a trained professional,” said Eric Phillips, a spokesman for the Nassau district attorney’s office.
At his Brentwood home, Officer David Hendrick, 38, declined to comment Tuesday.

In an earlier interview on News 12 Long Island, he said he was “letting them know who’s boss” when he pulled his gun on what he described as several drunk and aggressive Rangers fans coming home from a game Sunday night. He said in the interview that he identified himself as a police officer on the 9:17 p.m. Ronkonkoma-bound train and warned them to stop harassing passengers. “It started out with cursing, disrespecting people, drinking,” he said.

He said he told the group, “You have two choices: Stop the drinking, stop the cursing, stop the smoking, the disrespect by everybody, or I escort you off the train.”


He continued: “A rumble ensued. I had my gun on me. They were coming at me. We were fighting, throwing blows. . . . I pulled out my gun, pointed it at the subjects. It was two against one.”

Later Tuesday, he was no longer talking. He returned home just after 5 p.m. When he saw reporters, he sprinted to his front door.


MTA and Nassau police had arrested Hendrick on Sunday at the Mineola station.

Hendrick pleaded not guilty Monday in Nassau District Court in Hempstead to second-degree criminal possession of a loaded weapon, a felony, and second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor. A judge set bond at $2,000 and cash bail at $1,000. If convicted, Hendrick faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Reprinted from PoliceLink