'My name is Sunny Hostin…': Bodycam shows 'The View' host confronting officers during son’s citation

[00:00:00]Hi. How are you?

[00:00:03]>> [music] >> How are you?

[00:00:09]This is my son.

[00:00:10]>> Hi. How are you doing?

[00:00:12]This is my job, sir.

[00:00:13]>> He was walking along tracks.

[00:00:16]>> He was on a run, on a walk, and gate was open. I was like, "Oh."

[00:00:23]>> Sounds Sounds like honest mistake.

[00:00:24]>> He was supposed to follow with me.

[00:00:27]>> Footage released by MTA police from the June 16th incident shows Sunny Hostin arriving within minutes after her 24-year-old son, Gabriel, was stopped near Metro-North tracks in New Rochelle.

[00:00:39]In the recordings, she identifies herself as a co-host of The View and a former federal prosecutor and describes her son as a Harvard graduate with no criminal record who teaches fourth-grade geometry.

[00:00:52]"My name is Sunny Hostin, and I'm one of the co-hosts of The View, and I'm a former federal prosecutor," Hostin tells an officer in body cam video obtained by media houses. After arriving at the scene, Hostin continued making her case.

[00:01:10]>> Hi. How are you?

[00:01:12]>> How are you?

[00:01:15]This is my son.

[00:01:16]>> Hi. How are you doing?

[00:01:17]This is my job, sir.

[00:01:18]>> He was walking along tracks.

[00:01:21]>> He was on a run, on a walk, and gate was open. I was like, "Oh."

[00:01:28]>> Sounds Sounds like honest mistake.

[00:01:29]>> He was supposed to follow with me.

[00:01:31]Actually, I'm a former federal prosecutor. He knows. He's a Harvard grad. He teaches fourth-grade geometry to kids.

[00:01:39]>> God bless him.

[00:01:40]>> This is not a kid who's ever in trouble.

[00:01:44]It's an innocent mistake. I understand you have to >> Yeah, it's not the end of the >> It's >> It's not the end of the world.

[00:01:51]I got you.

[00:01:53]>> Officers in the footage explain that trespassing on the tracks is technically arrestable, but that they issued only a violation due to his cooperation and background, while noting surveillance cameras and policy required them to proceed with the citation.

[00:02:07]"That's my son. He's a Harvard graduate.

[00:02:09]He doesn't have a criminal record." she says. "He's not a kid who's ever in trouble. It's an innocent mistake."

[00:02:15]According to records obtained by media, Gabriel Hauston was stopped by Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police shortly before 8:00 p.m. June 16th after officers observed him on the Metro-North Railroad right-of-way at the New Rochelle station.

[00:02:31]>> Where were you exactly Where'd you go?

[00:02:32]You were like over here.

[00:02:33]>> So, yeah, there's like an open gate. I think I was walking over there.

[00:02:37]>> Just walking. Nice day.

[00:02:41]>> I had a big interview today. We're talking about it.

[00:02:45]>> Got you.

[00:02:52]Did you guys uh the sergeant say anything called up for backup?

[00:02:55]Well, we just heard Oh, we just heard it come over, you know.

[00:02:58]>> We were We were up by Scarsdale.

[00:03:00]>> Oh, we just take a walk then.

[00:03:01]>> Drive by was >> I know sometimes seems like overkill, you know.

[00:03:04]>> It's like, "Oh, this is some entertaining stuff happening. Let me go check it out."

[00:03:07]>> It's just situations. They're not always like you. So, sometimes the situations go a little the other way. They're not so compliant like you are. So, it's better to be safe than sorry, you know what I'm saying?

[00:03:19]Yeah, I'm saying you're good good guys.

[00:03:22]>> Police alleged he was trespassing in an area marked with no trespassing signs.

[00:03:27]An MTA Police spokesperson told media the 23-year-old was observed running near an electrified third rail before officers stopped him near Commerce Drive, conducted a criminal background check, and escorted him from the area.

[00:03:40]Because Hauston had no criminal history and cooperated with officers, police said he was issued a summons for trespass and released.

[00:03:48]The body cam video shows Gabriel Hauston asking officers whether issuing the summons was necessary.

[00:03:59]>> Hi. How are you?

[00:04:02]>> How are you?

[00:04:04]This is my son.

[00:04:05]>> Hi. How are you doing?

[00:04:08]>> We were walking along the tracks.

[00:04:10]>> I was on a run on a walk, and the gate was open. I was like, Sounds Sounds like a god. It's just >> Actually, I'm a former federal prosecutor. He knows. He's a Harvard grad. He teaches fourth grade geometry to kids.

[00:04:29]This is not a kid who's ever in trouble.

[00:04:33]It's an innocent mistake. I understand you have to >> I don't know what happened, but yeah, what happened?

[00:04:38]>> It's >> It's not the end of the world.

[00:04:40]I got you.

[00:04:42]Where were you exactly? Where did you go? You were like over here?

[00:04:44]>> So, yeah, there's like a open gate. I think I was walking over there, and >> Just walking. Nice day.

[00:04:48]>> Yeah, we were we were talking.

[00:04:52]I had a big interview today. We're talking about it.

[00:04:55]>> Got you.

[00:05:02]Did you guys uh the sergeant say anything called out for backup or >> Well, we just heard Oh, we just heard it come over, you know.

[00:05:09]>> We were We were up by Scarsdale.

[00:05:13]>> I know sometimes it seems like overkill, you know.

[00:05:15]>> It's like, "Oh, this is some entertaining stuff happening. Let me go check it out." Like, I don't know what >> situation They're not always like you.

[00:05:21]So, sometimes the situations go a little the other way. They're not so compliant like you are, so better to be safe than sorry, you know what I'm saying?

[00:05:29]You know what I'm saying? You're a good good good guy, so >> You live in the area?

[00:06:24]>> Yeah, we live on >> Oh, okay.

[00:06:25]>> We used to live in Purchase and we just moved here.

[00:06:27]>> Oh, okay.

[00:06:29]I heard that.

[00:06:30]>> So, we're new new to the area.

[00:06:32]Which is why he's >> Right.

[00:06:35]>> making mistakes cuz I don't think I did anything that's illegal to come to this, so >> It's a lot of work here, especially with the construction.

[00:06:45]>> I understand.

[00:06:47]>> Can you show me your driver's license?

[00:06:53]Give me your driver's license. Your option.

[00:06:55]>> Yeah. Um >> Phone number. This is just so the court can remind you.

[00:06:58]>> That's it.

[00:06:59]>> If you want to get >> Yeah.

[00:07:01]>> Okay, what's your phone number?

[00:07:15]So, this is going to be your copy, okay?

[00:07:17]So, basically um you have to show up Friday, July 10th at 9:30 a.m. It's going to be to the New uh New Rochelle Municipal Court, so you have to be in the New Rochelle.

[00:07:31]Um and then you have to pay the surcharge.

[00:07:36]It's unfortunate, I get it. I know you're upset.

[00:07:43]I'll be more than happy to take your personal information.

[00:07:44]>> leaving the property.

[00:07:46]>> Is there any reason Also, questions.

[00:07:49]Where do I stand with my landlord?

[00:07:51]>> You can call them and they can do your assessment.

[00:07:53]>> We call them a homeowner.

[00:07:57]>> It's a private property.

[00:07:58]>> Right.

[00:07:59]>> So, what are you misunderstanding about the violation?