An aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was robbed Tuesday in broad daylight in Brooklyn, a stark reminder of the public safety challenges facing City Hall.
The suspects approached the aide in the area of Hudson and York streets at about 10:30 a.m. and demanded property, according to NBC 4, which first reported the incident.
The New York Post identified the aide as Christoper Baugh, 33, and reported he told the suspects, “You don’t want to do this,” citing his employment with the mayor.
The suspects didn’t care. One of them stuck out a leg and shoved Mr. Baugh to the ground and took his cellphone and wallet.
The reports said that one robber displayed a gun in his waistband and that one assailant fled on a CitiBike.
Mr. Adams, a former police official, is trying to fulfill his pledge to make the city safer, but it has been a challenge.
While murders are down compared to this point last year, other major crime categories are up, including a nearly 40% increase in robbery, according to the city CompStat dashboard.
Adams press secretary Fabien Levy told news outlets that Mr. Baugh “deserved to be safe while conducting his job, just like every other New Yorker.”
“Public safety has been Mayor Adams’ top priority since day one and that is why the NYPD is working diligently every day to reduce crime,” Mr. Levy said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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