A retired NYPD cop was arrested — but later released without being charged — for firing his gun during a clash with a group of teens near Brooklyn College, police said Thursday.
Vinicio Colon, 57, told cops he was driving past the Brooklyn College campus in Flatbush with his wife and son in the car when they saw a group of teens beating up a teenage girl on the sidewalk about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, NYPD sources said.
Colon’s wife and son got out of the car to intervene, with Colon eventually stepping in as the fight continued. The group of teens ran off after Colon was punched in the head.
The family then got back in the car only to spot the teen who punched Colon a few blocks away, the sources said. Colon got out of the car and tried to stop the teen from leaving but was surrounded by the teen’s friends when he tried to call 911.
The former officer told investigators he was being beaten by the teens when he pulled out his firearm to defend himself and let a round go near Bedford Ave. and Campus Road. The bullet was later found lodged in the sidewalk.
The startled teens ran off and have not been caught. Responding officers found one .9-mm slug in the sidewalk and took Colon into custody, charging him with reckless endangerment.
A source with knowledge of the case said witness accounts and surveillance video recovered from the scene corroborate that several teens were attacking Colon when he fired in the air to disperse the crowd.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office said on Thursday they are deferring prosecution, allowing Colon to walk free without charges, as investigators look for more evidence.
Colon lives in East Flatbush. He joined the NYPD in 1994 and retired in 2017, according to city records.
Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 11:11 AM EDT
