A grand jury has dismissed terrorist charges against a Brooklyn teenager who was arrested for posting a Facebook status of gun emojis pointed at police emojis. According to the criminal complaint, Osiris Aristy’s multiple social media posts “caused New York City police to fear for their safety,” prompting them to show up at his Bushwick apartment in January.
“The charge was an overreach by both the police and the DA’s office,” Legal Aid attorney Fred Pratt told DNAinfo. “Clearly there was no threat conveyed.”
Police also found a .38 caliber handgun and 21 bags of pot at Aristy’s home, but according to DNAinfo, “it was unclear” whether he was charged with criminal possession.
Pratt is considering taking action against the police, who he says had an “overreaction” to the posts and “ransacked” Aristy’s home. The teen had also posted photos of his gun on social media, according to the criminal complaint, with the caption, “feel like katxhin a body right now.”
Police believed Aristy to be a threat to the community:
Deputy Inspector Maximo Toelntino, commanding officer of Bushwick’s 83rd Precinct, had previously told locals at a community board meeting that police were watching closely for social media posts, saying that any potential threat would be taken seriously.
He said that Aristy “was not a good guy” and that he had “targeted this community on numerous occasions” in the past.
The teen is currently at Rikers Island on $99,999 bail and will return to court April 23.
(Photo: Osiris Aristy)
