Story by Ethan
On September 17th, 2025, the arrest of Mekhiel Saldana, age 26, was announced by Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Mekhiel Saldana was charged with second-degree Assault and Attempted Robbery. The arrest and charges against Mekhiel Saldana were a result of an investigation handled by the NYPD’s 5th Precinct.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, at approximately 9:00 a.m. on August 25th, 2025, Mekhiel Saldana was evading arrest from two local NYPD officers on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New Jersey. The defendant was being pursued for his actions of hanging from a crosswalk pole naked and attempting to kick passing bike riders off of their bicycles. Upon the officers’ arrival Mekhiel Saldana jumped from the pole, to on top of a car, then pouncing on top of the officers instead of complying with the arrest. When grappling with the officers Mekhiel Saldana reached for the officers’ guns and one of their tasers, in addition to biting down onto one of the officer’s fingers for about two minutes until additional units arrived. Mekhiel Saldana was eventually restricted and detained before being taken to Bellevue Hospital, however he lunged at another officer after hospital staff unrestricted his cuffs so he could put on a shirt. The defendant punched the officer several times in the head as he attempted to reach for his gun, only stopping once hospital security pulled him off and restrained him once more. All three officers injured from the incidents were placed on medical leave, and the officer that Mekhiel Saldana allegedly bit is unable to return to work due to losing feeling in two of her fingers.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Mekhiel Saldana are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
