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'We can square up right now': NY cop charged with punching man at Bronx subway station
By
Charles Lane
Published Apr 24, 2026
Modified Apr 24, 2026
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Tdorante10 via Wikimedia Creative Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
By
Charles Lane
Published Apr 24, 2026
Modified Apr 24, 2026
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An NYPD officer was arrested Thursday and charged with attempted assault and official misconduct, with police and prosecutors alleging he punched a man multiple times and forced him out of a Bronx subway station more than a year ago.
Joseph Demaio, 33, was taken into custody Thursday morning, according to police. He pleaded not guilty in Bronx Criminal Court and was released on his own recognizance.
The charges stem from a Dec. 21, 2024 encounter at the 149th Street-Grand Concourse station, where Demaio was on duty and in uniform assigned to Transit District 11, according to prosecutors and the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau. In July 2025, he was transferred to a unit that monitors security cameras in public housing developments, an assignment commonly given to officers facing disciplinary scrutiny.
According to a criminal complaint, body-worn camera and surveillance footage showed Demaio grabbing a man by the jacket, pulling him up the stairs from the subway platform and pushing him out of an emergency exit door by the turnstiles, preventing him from accessing the subway.
"Get out of the station," Demaio said, according to the complaint. The man responded by cursing at the officer and asking why he was being touched, prosecutors said.
"What's up? We can square up right now," Demaio said, according to prosecutors.
Demaio then punched the man multiple times before placing him in handcuffs, according to the complaint. It cited body camera and surveillance footage.
Official misconduct and attempted third-degree assault are both misdemeanors. According to city records collected by the website 50a.org, Demaio has no previous misconduct complaints and earned $161,000 last year.
An NYPD spokesperson declined to comment, citing the internal investigation.
“This police officer is entitled to due process and a fair hearing based on all the facts," said Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, which represents rank-and-file officers. "There should be no rush to judgment in this case.”
An attorney for Demaio also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This story has been updated.
Tagged
public safety
the bronx
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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