MS-13 Vows To 'Take Back Streets, Take Out A Cop'

HEMPSTEAD, NY — Police said Thursday that MS-13 had issued a deadly threat — stating that it was time to "take back the streets . . .and take out a cop."

The Nassau County Police Department issued an intelligence bulletin Thursday about a possible threat to law enforcement; on Wednesday, the Hempstead Police Department reported receiving information from a credible informant, stating that MS-13 was "looking to shoot a cop in the Hempstead area."

Police said they were looking for a tall, light-skinned Hispanic man with tattoos of three dots next to his eye. He reportedly told the informant that police had been making too many arrests and it was time to "take the streets back and take out (shoot) a cop like we do in El Salvador," police said. Any member of MS-13 had permission to carry out the attack, the informant reportedly said.

Police were warned to safeguard personal information, especially on social media. "It is imperative that members of the department take these threats seriously and adapt their work habits and lifestyles accordingly," the bulletin said.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder issued a statement on the potential violence: “The Nassau County Police Department is aware of a threat of violence against its police officers. We are taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and security of our officers and medics."

He added, "I will not tolerate any threats against my officers and the Nassau County Police Department will continue to protect our residents and communities.”

Residents, he said, should call 911 immediately if they see or hear anything suspicious regarding any threats.

Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, however, was skeptical about the alleged threat. "I highly doubt it," he said. "The feds just arrested a key 'shot caller.'"

On Thursday, the highest-ranking member of the East Coast cliques of MS-13 was arraigned in Nassau County on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and trafficking drugs, authorities said. His arrest was a major blow to the gang, authorities say.

Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, aka Reaper, 35, of Laurel, Maryland, was arraigned in Nassau County on Thursday before Acting Supreme Court Justice Patricia Harrington on three counts of operating as a major trafficker and five counts of second-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge against him, Diaz faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

Sliwa said Diaz was brought from the beltway outside of Washington, D.C. "Feds can't have it both ways," Sliwa said. "They said in court that MS-13 gang members had to get permission from the 'Reaper' to commit various crimes, including murder. All of a sudden, having no contact with the Reaper, they're going to hunt down and shoot cops?"

Sliwa said it was highly unlikely. "MS-13 is highly disciplined. They have not done that in the United States. Might the feds have picked up some chatter on phones used by MS-13? Sure, but it's idle boasts."

Instead, Sliwa said he believes law enforcement will now use the perceived threat as a reason to "go into and seek warrants to raid MS-13 locations 'because police have been threatened.' The cops will use it as a reason to crack down on MS-13 locally, so that they can justify those raids. MS-13 would not order this from their leadership. They are not stupid or disorganized," he said.

Patch file photo.