A suspect accused of sexually abusing children reportedly fought off two NYPD officers – biting one of them – and managed to escape custody when they attempted to arrest him.
Isaiah Metz, 22, was tracked by police to the Antonio Olivieri Drop-in Centre, which provides shelter to people experiencing homelessness, just after 4 am on Tuesday morning.
ABC7 reports that NYPD police attempted to arrest the man, but he fought them off, allegedly biting one on the arm in the scuffle. According to the department, one officer suffered back and shoulder injuries in the fight.
Both officers were transported by EMS to the NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellvue where they received treatment and were later released.
Mr Metz reportedly fled from the centre on foot and is still at large.
The man is wanted for sexually abusing two twin 4-year-old girls in Goldsboro, Pennsylvania. He was on parole for assaulting another police office in Pennsylvania when he allegedly committed the crimes.
Mr Metz is currently facing 115 charges in York County.
According to court documents, he is facing multiple counts of felony rape of a child under the age of 13, two counts of involuntary sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child less than 13, indecent assault of a child less than 13, sexual abuse of children (photograph, video), sexual abuse of children (child pornography), and midemeanour corruption of minors.
Police described the man as having dyed red hair, and standing approximately 5'8". He is approximately 165 pounds and was last seen wearing black and red pajama pants and a black hoodie.
Anyone with information in regard to the incident at the homeless shelter is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Mr Metz's escape is the second black eye for a department already under scrutiny following the high-profile escape of a man accused of shooting multiple people on a subway in the city earlier this month.
After the arrest of the suspected shooter, Franklin James, 62, the NYPD lauded his capture, with Mayor Eric Adams telling New Yorkers that "we got him." The NYPD praised the "greatest detectives in the world" for apprehending the man.
However, the The Associated Press spoke with two law enforcement officials who revealed that Mr James actually called the police and told them where he could find them.
