Men Wanted For Blasting Officer With Fire Extinguisher In Harlem: NYPD

HARLEM, NY — An NYPD traffic enforcement agent was blasted in the face with a fire extinguisher while on duty in Harlem last week, police said Monday.

Just before 7 a.m. on Thursday, a group of men riding in a gray sedan approached the 43-year-old agent, who was seated in a marked NYPD vehicle near the intersection of Saint Nicholas Ave. and W. 118th St. in Harlem, cops said.

According to authorities, as the trio slowly approached the driver’s side of the police car, one passenger in the gray sedan sprayed the fire extinguisher into the agent’s face.

The car then sped off northbound on St. Nicholas Avenue, police said.

Medics took the traffic agent to Mount Sinai Morningside in stable condition.

One of the suspects was identified on Monday as Escarlin Polanco Gonzalez, 19, an NYPD spokesperson said.

The NYPD released images of the two remaining unidentified men, hoping someone might recognize them.

Anyone with information in regard to the incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).