Bronx mugger extradited to NYC faces attempted murder charges for stomping on a police officer’s head.

A Bronx man accused of brutally assaulting an off-duty NYPD officer has been extradited back to New York after allegedly fleeing the state. The suspect, Wayne Lucas, 23, faces serious charges including attempted murder of a police officer, attempted robbery, attempted aggravated assault, and weapons possession following an incident that occurred on May 24, 2025.

According to law enforcement officials, Officer Chowdhury Nafees, 27, was attacked near the intersection of St. Peters and Tratman Avenues in Westchester Square around 4:15 a.m. As he was returning home from his shift, Officer Nafees, who was wearing his NYPD uniform under a jacket, was approached by Lucas and another man, Taveon Hargrove, also 23. The duo allegedly threatened him with a knife and assaulted him, rendering him unconscious on the pavement.

A good Samaritan discovered Officer Nafees and alerted the authorities, leading to his urgent transport to a local hospital where he was initially reported in critical condition. Recent updates indicate that he has since been discharged but faces a long recovery journey, as discussed by his brother, who expressed concerns about the psychological impact of the attack.

Surveillance footage from the scene captures the harrowing moments of the assault, showing the assailants knocking Officer Nafees to the ground and repeatedly striking him before robbing him of his firearm and fleeing the scene. In a particularly alarming act, one of the assailants returned to deliver a final blow by stomping on the officer’s head.

Lucas and Hargrove left New York following the violent incident, but their attempts to evade arrest were short-lived. Lucas was apprehended in Virginia while disguised with a woman’s wig. His arrest occurred just as Officer Nafees was being released from the hospital, a moment marked by celebration among his colleagues in the NYPD.

Hargrove was arrested a day earlier, and efforts to extradite him back to New York are underway. The investigation also led to the arrest of Hargrove’s father, who allegedly attempted to use one of the victim’s credit cards.

Officer Nafees, originally from Bangladesh, has been an NYPD officer since September 2024, having previously worked as a 911 dispatcher for two years. His family remains supportive, expressing concerns about the motivations behind the attack, with his brother indicating that the police badge may have been a target in itself.

This developing story will continue to evolve as legal proceedings commence for both suspects involved in the violent assault against an officer of the law.