A Venezuelan migrant overwhelmed and tased by cops whereas holding his toddler youngster in a city-run shelter — in a viral incident captured on police-worn bodycam footage — is now suing the town and the officers, in line with a brand new federal lawsuit.
Yanny Cordero and his spouse, Andrea Parra Mendoza, filed the swimsuit in Brooklyn federal court docket claiming that the chaotic 2024 melee at a shelter on Archer Avenue in Queens resulted in a false arrest, extreme drive and an illegal household separation that left the household frantically looking for their three children — together with their one-year-old son.
Viral video of Cordero being overwhelmed and tased by cops as he clutched his child youngster two years in the past was defended by then-Mayor Eric Adams, claiming the daddy was drunk and that the toddler was in peril.
In line with the lawsuit, six cops tased Cordero a complete of 4 occasions, twice whereas he nonetheless clutched his child boy.
Cordero was making an attempt to convey dinner to his spouse and youngsters, with safety guards issuing conflicting orders about the place he might convey his meals, in line with the swimsuit.
As Cordero struggled to speak with a translation app, one guard started “hurling racial epithets” and “struck Mr. Cordero within the face and referred to as the police,” the court docket submitting claims.
Cordero was ready along with his household within the foyer when police arrived, and claimed the state of affairs instantly escalated, in line with the swimsuit.
“Earlier than even talking to Mr. Cordero,” one of many cops approached him from behind “and tried to drag his child… out of his arms,” the swimsuit states.
Not understanding their English instructions, Cordero held tightly to his son and “repeated in Spanish that the infant was his,” in line with the lawsuit, whereas the police declined to “make any makes an attempt to interpret their directions.”
That’s when Cordero claims cops shoved him in opposition to an elevator door and shot him with a taser, the submitting alleges.
Cops allegedly then punched Cordero within the head and shoved his spouse to the ground.
As shelter employees took the infant from his arms, his spouse started screaming and was “bodily restrained by unknown individuals carrying fatigues, believed to be members of the Nationwide Guard,” as seen on the viral video.
Extra cops joined the fray — tossing Cordero right into a desk, punching his head, tasing him two extra occasions as he lay pinned on the bottom beneath 4 officers whole, the swimsuit claims.
Cops then took the household to the police precinct, placing the three children in a separate room from their mother and father, who heard them “crying loudly in one other room,” whereas officers repeatedly denied their pleas to see them, the swimsuit says.
An order of safety was issued in opposition to the mother and father, and the children weren’t reunited till three days later, and solely on the situation that they instantly transfer to a unique shelter, the swimsuit claims.
Expenses had been utterly dismissed in December 2024, and Cordero was absolutely acquitted at trial in July 2025, the swimsuit says.
He claims he nonetheless suffers from concussive head accidents, and that his youngsters stay traumatised and expertise excessive separation nervousness consequently, his submitting reads.
Town declined to touch upon the litigation. NYPD officers and Cordero’s attorneys didn’t reply to requests for remark.
