Five police officers have been suspended following an internal investigation into the in-custody shooting that occurred last week inside a police transport van in Westchester County.

The suspensions, announced on Thursday, Oct. 23, come after a .22-caliber revolver was found in the van following the Thursday, Oct. 16 incident, in which a prisoner was shot in the leg while being taken from Mount Vernon Police Headquarters to the Westchester County Jail, as Daily Voice previously reported.

According to the department, the weapon should have been detected during the prisoner's initial arrest or intake process, but was not. A statement from Mount Vernon Police said a 2022 policy update had limited the broad use of strip searches, but noted that "a properly conducted frisk or authorized strip search should have revealed the weapon."

Police said that failure led to disciplinary action against five department members directly involved in the suspect's arrest and processing. The suspended members include:

* Sergeant Joseph Diaz;

* Police Officer Cody Housen;

* Police Officer Christian Pacheco;

* Police Officer Sonjea Collins;

* Police Officer Omar Bryce.

Each has been suspended without pay for 30 days pending the outcome of the department's ongoing investigation.

"These suspensions are not final determinations of disciplinary outcomes," the department said in a statement on Thursday, adding, "Additional findings or disciplinary actions may be forthcoming as the review continues."

What Happened

The shooting occurred around Thursday evening, Oct. 16, as five prisoners were being transported by Officers Bryce and Collins, according to the department. The officers reported hearing a single gunshot from the rear of the van, followed by one of the prisoners claiming he had been shot.

The van immediately returned to police headquarters, where the prisoners were secured and the weapon -- identified as a .22-caliber Rohm-RGT revolver -- was recovered from one of the detainees, 32-year-old Louis Soto of the Bronx, according to police.

The victim suffered a minor gunshot wound to his leg and was treated at a local hospital. Police later said the gun had not been reported stolen and that a full trace is underway.

Soto, who had been arrested the previous day on a forcible touching charge, was later charged with criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree assault, and reckless endangerment in connection with the incident. He was remanded to the Westchester County Jail.

Policy Changes and Ongoing Reviews

Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers previously acknowledged last week that the firearm should have been detected before transport and announced immediate policy changes.

All prisoners are now required to be scanned with a handheld magnetometer wand both before and after entering the cell block, including before any transport to another facility.

The Westchester County District Attorney's Office has confirmed that its Public and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau is conducting an independent review of the incident.

This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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