The New York Police Department said it is investigating the suspected poisoning of three police officers at a Shake Shack in Manhattan. The police union said a substance suspected to be bleach was put into drinks that the officers had ordered.
As CBS New York reported, police department sources said the officers became ill after buying milkshakes from a restaurant at Broadway and Fulton Street on Monday night. The department is investigating allegations that an employee may have contaminated the drinks with bleach.
Though details are not yet fully clear, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York released a statement on Twitter saying that the officers had been taken to a hospital for treatment. The PBA went on to say that the poisoning was an attack against officers.
“When NYC police officers cannot even take meal without coming under attack, it is clear that environment in which we work has deteriorated to a critical level. We cannot afford to let our guard down for even a moment.”
Shake Shack released a statement late on Monday night that it was working with police on the investigation.
We are horrified by the reports of police officers injured at our 200 Broadway Shack in Manhattan. We are working with the police in their investigation right now.
— SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) June 16, 2020
The NYPD has come under intense scrutiny for what critics say have been heavy-handed tactics when dealing with protests in the weeks following the death of George Floyd. As The Inquisitr reported, one officer was placed under investigation after a video showed him pushing a woman to the ground during protests in Brooklyn. The woman had to be taken to a hospital. The clip revealed that as the officer pushed the woman, he yelled “stupid f**king b*tch” at her.
Police leaders have pushed back against this criticism. As Fox News noted, PBA President Mike O’Meara stood up for officers both in an impassioned press conference and in a later interview with the news outlet. He told Fox News that the portrayal of officers as “the enemy” is harmful.
“We are portrayed in the press and everywhere else as the enemy and we want people to know that we take our jobs seriously, we’re professional, and the vast, vast majority of the time we act appropriately and honorably and that’s what we do and that’s not being portrayed right now in the media and in the world.”
Police said that they have taken a sample of the Shake Shack drinks to a lab for testing. As of publishing, they have not yet made any arrests.