What to Know
- A Bronx, New York, couple faces assault charges in the beating of a 17-year-old Sesame Place worker who suffered a broken jaw in the attack that left him unconscious.
- Troy McCoy was arrested at his home by U.S. Marshals Wednesday morning. Shakerra Bonds is expected to surrender to face charges.
- The attack over coronavirus safety measures left the teenage worker hospitalized for a week, Middletown Township police say.
Two New Yorkers are now charged for an attack that knocked out a teenage Sesame Place worker in a face mask dispute earlier this month at the Bucks County, Pennsylvania, theme park. The "unwarranted brutal assault" left the teen hospitalized for almost a week, Middletown Township police said.
On Wednesday morning, U.S Marshals arrested Troy McCoy at his Bronx, New York, home, police in Pennsylvania said.
McCoy, 39, attempted to barricade himself in his home but Marshals were able to get into the home and arrest him, police said. McCoy is set to be brought back to Bucks County to face aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, disorderly conduct and harassment charges. It is unclear if he will fight extradition.
Shakerra Bonds – a 31-year-old who lives in the same home as McCoy – is expected to surrender in Middle Township to face simple assault, reckless endangerment, conspiracy and harassment charges, police said. She was allowed to remain at their home with their children.
The alleged assault occurred on Aug. 9 when a 17-year-old employee of the children's theme park told the couple – at the park with another adult and four children – that they were required to wear masks while in the park due to coronavirus safety measures.
The duo then confronted the teenage worker at the Captain Cookie’s High C’s Adventure ride where McCoy "sucker punched" the teen in the face to teach him a lesson, according to police paperwork filed in court. The teen fell to the ground unconscious as Bonds continued the beating.
Bonds is accused of punching a teenager after she tried to come to her co-worker's aid, police said.
The attack appeared to happen in front of the couple's children, Detective Lt. Stephen Forman said.
The man and woman then fled from the scene as park security chased after them. Investigators said they were last seen driving away in a vehicle registered in New York.
The teen suffered a broken jaw and damaged teeth. On Wednesday, police said the teen had spent nearly a week at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne.
"Physically, this survivor is taking it day by day even in the midst of experiencing excruciating pain and the inability to perform simple tasks, such as eating solid foods and talking," says a GoFundMe page set up for the boy and shared by police. "Mentally and emotionally, it is a challenge to make sense of why this attack had to become a part of the narrative."
The GoFundMe page said the boy had double jaw surgery and a tooth removed while hospitalized and is recovering after being released late last week.
Investigators used surveillance video, park reservation and transaction records and vehicle registration to track down McCoy and Bonds.
Sesame Place said in a statement Wednesday that officials were relieved by the charges being announced and the park had “issued a lifetime ban to the individuals involved for all of our parks across the country. The safety of our team members and guests remains our top priority.”
It is unclear if McCoy or Bonds have an attorney who could comment about the charges.
