Police have arrested a 27-year-old man accused of hurling snowballs at NYPD officers during a chaotic confrontation at Washington Square Park earlier this week, an incident that left two officers hospitalized, the NY Post reports.

Authorities identified the suspect as Gusmane Coulibaly, who was taken into custody today for his alleged role in the Monday afternoon disturbance. The melee, captured on video and widely circulated online, showed officers being pelted with snow and ice amid a disorderly scene.

Officials said the specific charges Coulibaly will face in connection with the snowball attack were not immediately disclosed.

According to police, Coulibaly was arrested less than three weeks ago on an attempted robbery charge stemming from an incident in the subway system, marking another encounter with law enforcement prior to this week’s arrest.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch earlier condemned the episode, calling it “criminal” and “disgraceful.”

Coulibaly is one of four individuals whose images were released by the NYPD shortly after footage of the snowball barrage went viral. The remaining three suspects have not yet been apprehended.

The president of the NYPD Police Benevolent Association praised investigators for making the arrest and criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had initially characterized the incident as youthful mischief.

“A 27-year-old is not a ‘kid,’ @NYCMayor,” the union wrote on X.

“This individual is an adult with a recent attempted robbery arrest, and your message was that it’s OK for him to assault police officers for doing their job. This arrest sends a different message. We’re grateful to all who have worked so hard on this case. There is more work to be done.”

Mamdani, however, had previously minimized the confrontation. On Tuesday, he said he had “seen the videos” but described the incident as “kids throwing snowballs.”

“I’ve seen the videos of kids throwing snowballs at NYPD officers in Washington Square Park,” he wrote on X.

“Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect. If anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me.”

Later, during a press conference, the mayor reiterated that assessment, maintaining that the people involved appeared to be young participants in a snowball fight.

“I can just tell you from the video I saw, it looked like kids in a snowball fight,” he said.

{Matzav.com}