Two Nassau cops hurt in melee at MercyFirst group home in Syosset

Two cops were injured in a melee at a Syosset group home following a disturbance that led to the arrests of four teen residents of the facility, Nassau County police said Friday.

One officer suffered a concussion and the other had a broken hand resulting from a scuffle Thursday afternoon at MercyFirst, a residential program on Convent Road that treats at-risk youth who have suffered trauma, police said.

Police said in a news release the officers were injured when four MercyFirst residents confronted police after one of the teens resisted being transported by ambulance to a hospital. Officers had been called to the facility after what police called a "disturbance" there.

A resident believed to have instigated the incident "will not be returning to campus," Mark Smith, a MercyFirst spokesman, said in an email.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, police said.

Two boys, ages 16 and 15, and a 14-year-old girl were charged with obstructing governmental administration. The 16-year-old also was charged with second-degree harassment, police said.

All were ordered to appear on Dec. 16 in Nassau Family Court in Westbury, police said.

The names of the teens were not released by police or MercyFirst.

Police said the 14-year-old boy was being led to an ambulance for a "medical evaluation" at a hospital when he began to fight with officers who had responded to the initial incident.

Smith said the boy had been "undergoing therapy" at MercyFirst when he "began to experience extreme emotional trauma and required an emergency room assessment." Smith said it was "standard protocol" for police to be called to transport residents in those situations.

"A physical altercation began between the youth and the arriving officers, which escalated when three other youths on campus became involved," Smith said.

Police said those three teenagers "tried to prevent the officers from removing the aided by holding onto him and cursing at the officers."

Officer Scott Santomero, a Nassau police spokesman, declined to identify the officers and said he could not provide an update on their medical conditions.

Smith said MercyFirst "is grateful for the response and professionalism of law enforcement and the injured officers are in our prayers."

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.