Sunny Hostin Defends Son After Trespassing Incident
Sunny Hostin, co-host of ‘The View’, repeatedly emphasized her background as a former federal prosecutor during a police encounter involving her son. Newly released body camera footage highlights Hostin’s efforts to advocate for her son following his stop by officers for trespassing on Metro-North railroad property.
The bodycam video shows Hostin introducing herself to an officer over the phone, saying, ‘My name is Sunny Hostin and I’m one of the co-hosts of The View and a former federal prosecutor.’ After arriving at the scene, she continued advocating for her son, Gabriel Hostin. She pointed out that Gabriel, a Harvard graduate, has no criminal record.
According to documents obtained by Fox News Digital, on June 16, Gabriel Hostin was stopped by Metropolitan Transportation Authority police shortly before 8 p.m. Officers identified him on the Metro-North railroad right-of-way at the New Rochelle station, allegedly trespassing in a marked area. Gabriel was observed running near an electrified third rail before being stopped. After conducting a criminal background check, officers escorted him from the area. Due to his clean record and cooperation, Gabriel received a summons for trespass and was released.
The bodycam footage depicts Gabriel questioning the necessity of the summons. An officer informed him that trespassing is an arrestable offense, yet due to his lack of criminal history, they reduced it to a violation. Despite the officers’ explanation, Hostin urged them to reconsider, emphasizing her son’s positive contributions, such as teaching fourth-grade geometry to children in the South Bronx.
Charging documents state that officers saw Gabriel on the active railroad right-of-way, violating posted ‘No Trespassing’ signs. The citation notes the negative result of the warrant check before issuing the trespass appearance ticket. Records include photographs of warning signs near the property entrance, reinforcing the trespassing warning.
Court documents indicate that Gabriel Hostin is set to appear in New Rochelle City Court on July 31. In a letter obtained by TMZ, Hostin defended her son, explaining he inadvertently entered the property while jogging and mistook the open gate for part of a suitable jogging path. She noted the ‘No Trespassing’ sign was not visible from his entry point.
The release of the bodycam video fueled online debates. Some conservative voices criticized Hostin for using her legal credentials during the encounter, which contrasted with her past public statements advocating for equal treatment under the law. The incident has been debated on platforms such as Libs of TikTok and End Wokeness, garnering criticism and scrutiny. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hostin’s representatives for a statement.