NYPD Detective Recounts Stabbing Attack, Struggle to Call 911
Detective Jose Mercedes described being stabbed 10 times and losing significant blood while attempting to track his assailants.
NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes, who was stabbed 10 times during a robbery in the Bronx, detailed the harrowing moments he chased his attackers while bleeding profusely and struggled to call 911. The encounter occurred on his day off as he was retrieving belongings from his car.
Mercedes recounted on "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade" that as he pursued the two masked assailants, he realized the severity of his injuries. "Suddenly, I grabbed my phone again, and it's completely filled with blood," he said. "And at that point is when I stopped running."
During the struggle, Mercedes managed to unmask both suspects. He identified them as D'Angelo Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia, 24, both described as Dominican nationals living illegally in the United States. The pair were later arrested in Massachusetts after allegedly fleeing New York.
Mercedes described the immediate fear that washed over him, followed by his police training kicking in. "The fear that comes upon you and your body turns cold," he said. "Thereafter, your adrenaline kicks in. And now it’s action time, and now I have to defend myself with all my might or die."
Despite his training, Mercedes noted that the stress of the attack caused him to overlook critical immediate actions. He expressed gratitude for the first responders who arrived quickly and applied tourniquets to his arms, enabling him to survive the significant blood loss. "I thought I was going to die at a certain point. My skin changed colors, I became pale," he recalled. "And I cannot thank enough the — first of all, God — second of all, the 911 caller, the [52nd Precinct] officers that responded… they just assisted me with so much urgency. And the emergency service unit — they completely brought me back to life."
Scott Munro, president of the Detectives' Endowment Association, criticized current immigration enforcement policies, stating, "They're taking politics before public safety right now. They're taking politics before law enforcement."