Suspect in Washington Square Park snowball fight on cops released after assault charge was reduced to misdemeanor | amNewYork

"Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, of Anderson Ave. in the Highbridge section, was taken into custody by detectives from the NYPD warrant squad and booked at the 6th Precinct where he was charged with assaulting a police officer after he was identified as one of the four suspects who were caught on camera firing snowballs and chunks of ice at cops starting at 4:20 p.m. after the blizzard ended on Feb. 23."

"The DA's office pursued the reduced charges after prosecutors determined they would be unable to prove that the officer suffered any physical injury that was caused directly by Goulibaly's conduct in Washington Square Park."

"The officer suffered redness, tenderness, and pain in the eye, as well as pain in his head and neck. EMS transported him and another officer to Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital in stable condition."

Gusmane Coulibaly, 27, was arrested and charged after being identified as one of four suspects who threw snowballs and ice chunks at NYPD officers in Washington Square Park on February 23. Body-worn camera footage showed Coulibaly throwing a snowball that struck an officer's face near the eye, causing redness, tenderness, pain, and headache. Two officers were transported to the hospital in stable condition. The Manhattan District Attorney's office reduced the initial assault charges to misdemeanor obstructing government administration and harassment after determining they could not prove the officer's injuries were directly caused by Coulibaly's specific actions.

Read at www.amny.com