On Tuesday, Jan. 12, the New York Times reported that State Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda, who represents the Bronx’s 32nd senatorial district, and who is currently running for the position of Bronx borough president, turned himself in to the police on Monday after his wife said he allegedly assaulted her during an argument over the weekend.

Norwood News reached out to the NYPD to corroborate the report and we were informed that on Saturday, Jan. 9, at approximately 5.45 a.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic incident inside a home on Daly Avenue in the 48th precinct. Upon arrival, officers were met by a 40-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man who they said both claimed the other party assaulted them. The investigation is ongoing.

In The New York Times article, it was reported that police said the senator, who is 56, turned himself in to police at the 48th precinct station in Claremont to face a charge of criminal obstruction of breathing, a misdemeanor offense. Norwood News reached out to the senator’s office for comment regarding the reported incident.

We later received an email from a representative for Sepúlveda who referred us to a statement from Marvin Ray Raskin, Esq. which read, “Mr. Sepúlveda has been the victim of recurring physical violence by his estranged spouse for approximately nine years, a situation he has endured because of the young child they share together. This false accusation is a calculated attempt by a disgruntled party to leverage a divorce settlement from a case she filed in Florida this past November.”

In the wake of the revelations, several elected officials and public figures issued statements on Tuesday, condemning the alleged assault and called for the senator’s resignation from the senate.

I was just informed about the allegations made regarding my colleague Senator Sepulveda.

To be clear, domestic violence in any form will not be tolerated in our state. If these allegations are proven to be true, I call on him to resign from his office.

(Cont.)

— Victor M. Pichardo Jr. (@Vpichardo86) January 12, 2021

Assemblyman Victor Pichardo, representing the 86th assembly district, sent out a tweet which read, “I was just informed about the allegations made regarding my colleague, Senator Sepúlveda. To be clear, domestic violence in any form will not be tolerated in our state. If these allegations are proven to be true, I call on him to resign from his office.”

Meanwhile, City Councilman in the 14th District, Fernando Cabrera, said, “It is unconscionable that Senator Sepúlveda could remain in his position as a state senator following multiple domestic violence incidents and a charge of criminal obstruction.” Norwood News is currently not in a position to corroborate these assertions of multiple domestic violence incidents.

The councilman continued, “As a strong advocate for domestic violence victims and programs, I’m calling on Senator Sepúlveda to immediately resign from the Senate.” He added, “Elected officials must hold themselves to high standards of conduct and Senator Sepúlveda has continued to fall short.” Norwood News is not currently in a position to corroborate this assertion that the senator has continued to fall short of maintaining high standards.

The councilman added, “Especially, in view of his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Crimes, Crime Victims and Corrections, he must resign immediately. I offer my heartfelt prayers to his wife and family.”

State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx/Westchester) also issued a statement on Jan. 12, saying, “Domestic violence happens behind closed doors, but it is not a private matter. Allowing a person who engages in violent acts of systemic misogyny to oversee public policy harms New Yorkers everywhere.”

The senator provided contact details for support services for those experiencing domestic violence and went on to say that as members of the New York State Legislature, she and her colleagues are entrusted by their constituents to represent and protect their communities. “An elected official who engages in any act of violence or abuse betrays that privileged trust and is no longer fit to serve the public,” she said. “The Bronx deserves leaders who embody the highest levels of integrity, and there must be zero tolerance for violence or abuse of any kind. If this allegation is true, Senator Sepúlveda must resign immediately.”

She thanked Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for what she described as Stewart-Cousin’s swift response to strip Senator Sepúlveda of his chairmanship and committee assignments. “As chair of the New York State senate committee on ethics and internal governance, I am committed to [taking] any steps within my jurisdiction to address this matter,” Biaggi said.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, representing the 80th Assembly District, also released a statement saying, “There are unfortunately too many families in our borough who have experienced domestic violence in their households. If it is true that State Sen. Sepúlveda committed these horrible acts, then he must resign his elected office.” The assemblyman also provided contact details for support organizations and added, “I urge anyone who is experiencing domestic violence to know that they are not alone and there are people available who can help.”

The following chart shows the latest available quarterly report (Q3 2020) of DV runs carried out by police in the Bronx per precinct.

A number of organizations in the Bronx provide help and support to victims of domestic violence. The NYC Family Justice Center is located at 198 E 161 St, The Bronx, NY 10451 and can be reached by calling (718) 508-1220. The center is physically closed temporarily since the pandemic hit but services and support remain available by phone. Learn more here.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or gender-based violence, help is available.

• Call 311 to be connected to the nearest NYC Family Justice Center
• Find resources and support in NYC by searching the City’s NYC HOPE Resource Directory
• Call the City’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-621-HOPE (4673) for immediate safety planning, shelter assistance, and other resources. TTY: 800-810-7444

In an emergency, dial 911.

Safe Horizon Services Agency is affiliated with Montefiore Medical Group, and is based at 2530 US-1, The Bronx, NY 10458. The organization can be reached by calling  (718) 933-1000.

New York City offers a 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (1-800-621-4673). There may be resources available to help, including temporary housing, emergency shelter, and supportive services for yourself and your children.

For LGBTQ domestic violence issues, NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Program can be contacted at 212-714-1141. For people with disabilities, Barrier-Free Living can be contacted at 212-533-4358.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.