NEW YORK — A family outing in Times Square took a dark turn Thursday after a man punched Raphaela Rivera’s 4-year-old son, Angel, in the head.
“I turn around, and the baby is screaming and crying. And I said, ‘What happened?’ My daughter said, ‘That guy right there hit him,’” Rivera told WLNY.
And the altercation definitely got her blood boiling.
“I was ticked off. I was outraged,” Rivera told WABC, showing the TV station bruises on her arms she earned in the ensuing struggle with the man.
A stranger punches a 4 year old in the head.. in Times Square.. mom says she even avoided the subway because of the surge in violence. @NaveenABC7 spoke to the mother who took the attacker down until police arrested him https://t.co/vsvDfsVU3D
— Mike Marza (@mikemarzaABC7) February 20, 2022
“I grabbed him harder, and we both went down. He was on top of me, and I was not letting go,” she added, noting that her 17-year-old daughter, Carmen, along with two unidentified good Samaritans helped her subdue the suspect until police arrived.
Watch the complete WABC interview below:
According to police, the man who punched Angel has been identified as 34-year-old Bbacar Mbaye, who has 33 prior arrests, including two recent assaults, WLNY reported.
Mbaye, who is due in court Wednesday, was charged with assault, resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child, WNBC reported, noting that police said he kicked an officer while resisting arrest.
A police spokesperson confirmed to the TV station that Mbaye’s rap sheet includes four arrests in 2022 to date.
Meanwhile, Rivera told WLNY that talking to her son about the attack after the assault was difficult.
“I tell him, ‘We have to keep our eyes open, papi.’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, I know, mami. We have to look around and help each other,’” she said.
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