On January 30, 2024, a knife-related incident at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, NY resulted in the arrest of two individuals. Naje U. Sprattley, 19, and Robert M. Brooksby, 28, both from Albany, were involved. Sprattley was charged with second-degree Menacing, third-degree Assault, and fourth-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Brooksby was charged with second-degree Harassment.
State Police officers on the Empire State Plaza concourse responded to a disturbance. They discovered Sprattley in a verbal argument with another person, which escalated when Sprattley produced a knife.
The other person disarmed Sprattley, suffering minor hand injuries. The knife was dropped during the struggle. Brooksby, known to the victim, tried to pick up the weapon, pushing over an uninvolved bystander in the process.
State Police intervened, detaining all involved parties and securing the weapon. Sprattley and Brooksby were arrested and processed at SP Capital. They were later released, with court dates set for February 12, 2024, and February 8, 2024, respectively.