Man Who Shot Garner Video Indicted on Gun Charge, Held at Rikers

The man who shot a video of a fatal police chokehold remains jailed at Rikers after a grand jury opted to indict him on a gun possession charge following his arrest last weekend.

Ramsey Orta, 22, was arrested Saturday night on Staten Island, blocks from where Eric Garner died in police custody, and charged with criminal possession of a weapon. 

Orta shot the video of an officer using a chokehold to restrain Garner on July 17. Garner died shortly thereafter, and his death was ruled a homicide Friday by the medical examiner's office.

Police said plainclothes officers from a Staten Island narcotics unit saw Orta stuff a silver, .25-caliber handgun into a 17-year-old female companion's waistband after they walked out of the Hotel Richmond. Police called the location, on Central Avenue, a "known drug prone location."

Police said Orta had a previous weapon conviction that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

Orta's wife, Chrissie Ortiz, who was arrested Tuesday on an assault charge in a separate case, told NBC 4 New York her husband is stressed. She declined to talk about her arrest. 

Previously, Ortiz said her husband's arrest was a "setup" in retribution for capturing the video of police putting Garner in a chokehold.

Orta's attorney had no immediate comment. 

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been a vocal critic of police tactics in Garner's case, said Orta's arrest had no bearing on calls for justice. He is scheduled to lead a controversial march over the Verrazano Bridge Aug. 23.

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