VIDEO: Police have arrested a teenager in the assault of an off-duty firefighter on the Upper East Side last weekend.
Damir Johnson, 17, is facing a charge of second-degree assault.
He was greeted by a line of grim faced firefighters who stared him down as he was moved from the 19th precinct on Thursday.
For his part, Damir insisted the off duty firefighter attacked his friend first, and he was merely defending his friend.
"He assaulted my friend. He attacked my friend and I had to defend my friend. He actually pushed my friend to the ground and I had to defend my friend," he told reporters.
The incident happened on Saturday around 9:25 a.m. on E. 86th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues on the Upper East Side.
Police say the victim tried to stop the group from harassing an elderly couple.
That's when Johnson allegedly punched him in the back of the head and then stomped on him while he was down.