NYPD, US Marshals arrest cop assault suspect Samuel Thornton in Philly

A 21-year-old man wanted for beating up an off-duty New York City police officer in the Bronx — and taking her gun — is in custody Friday morning after authorities nabbed him in Northeast Philadelphia.

The NYPD and U.S. Marshals arrested Samuel Thornton, 21, on the 4600 block of Philly’s Van Kirk Street.

He had buried the officer’s 9mm semi-automatic handgun back in New York — and told officers where to find it, police said.

Tipsters called cops to say he was hiding out in Philadelphia.

Thornton allegedly jumped the cop around 5 a.m. Wednesday inside the garage at E. 226th Street and Bronx Boulevard in the Bronx, where she parks her car.

The 41-year-old officer, a 10-year NYPD veteran, was preparing to drive from her home in the Wakefield section to her post in Harlem when the attack went down.

Thornton grabbed her gold chain and then started beating her as she reached for her bag, where she had her service gun, officials said.

The 6-foot, 150-pound suspect grabbed the bag, swiped the weapon, and then fled, the NYPD said; the officer was taken to to Montefiore hospital and is in stable condition.

Surveillance video caught the attack and on it, Thorton allegedly is seen punching the officer at least four times before she finally falls to the floor.

John A. Oswald is editor-at-large at Metro and can be found on Twitter@nyc_oz.
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