Body camera footage has recently surfaced showing Sunny Hostin, a co-host of ABC’s "The View," engaging with law enforcement officers following an incident where her adult son, Gabriel Hostin, was found trespassing on live railroad tracks. The event, which occurred on June 16 in Westchester County, New York, involved officers stopping Gabriel Hostin, 24, near Metro-North railroad tracks within a clearly marked restricted zone.
"I’m a former federal prosecutor. He knows. He’s a Harvard grad who teaches 4th-grade geometry to South Bronx kids. He’s not a kid who’s ever in trouble. It’s an innocent mistake.”" — Sunny Hostin, Co-host of 'The View' and Former Federal Prosecutor
According to court records and the newly released footage, officers discovered Gabriel Hostin standing inside the railroad’s right-of-way, an area explicitly posted with "no-trespassing" warnings. At the time of the initial contact, Gabriel Hostin was on the phone with his mother, Sunny Hostin, providing her with immediate awareness of the unfolding situation. During this call, Sunny Hostin reportedly identified herself and her professional background to the officers on the scene. "My name is Sunny Hostin and I’m one of the co-hosts of ‘The View‘ and I’m a former federal prosecutor," she stated, adding, "That’s my son. He’s a Harvard graduate, he doesn’t have a criminal record."
Gabriel Hostin offered officers an explanation for his presence on the tracks, stating that he had been out jogging and noticed an open gate, which he believed provided an access point. Not content with her phone advocacy, Sunny Hostin subsequently drove to the scene to personally address the officers. Upon her arrival, she reiterated her professional credentials and emphasized her son's character. "I’m a former federal prosecutor. He knows. He’s a Harvard grad who teaches 4th-grade geometry to South Bronx kids," she told the officers. "He’s not a kid who’s ever in trouble. It’s an innocent mistake."
Gabriel Hostin also questioned the necessity of a citation, asking officers, "Is this necessary?" The officers present reportedly responded unanimously with "Yes." One MTA officer clarified the gravity of the situation, stating, "Because it is an arrestable offense. I want to make that clear, okay? Where you were on the tracks is an arrestable offense." Officers explained that the decision to issue a trespass violation, rather than a more severe charge, was influenced by Gabriel Hostin’s specific location on the tracks and his cooperative demeanor. "We’re dimming it down to a trespass violation because you were in the right-of-way, you weren’t in the gauge or anything, which is the middle area where the tracks were on," an officer explained. The officer also acknowledged Gabriel's cooperative nature and clean background. However, the presence of surveillance cameras was cited as a factor preventing officers from entirely foregoing a citation. "And you’ve been very cooperative with us and you have a good background, everything like that," the officer said. "We know you’re not a criminal or anything like that but our hands are tied with cameras everywhere."
Despite Sunny Hostin’s direct intervention at the scene, officers ultimately issued Gabriel Hostin a formal trespassing violation. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 31 to address the citation, according to a report from the New York Post. The same report indicates that Sunny Hostin intends to serve as her son’s legal representation during the proceedings.
Sunny Hostin's advocacy for her son extended beyond the roadside encounter. She followed up with a written appeal directed to Westchester Assistant District Attorney Amanda Green, which was obtained by TMZ. In the letter, Hostin presented her son’s account of events, detailing what led him onto the railroad property. She wrote, "When jogging, he observed what appeared to be a gravel incline that could be used for hill training." She further explained, "Although there was a gate at the entrance of the gravel incline, the gates were standing open." Hostin also argued that the "No Trespassing" sign would not have been visible to her son under the circumstances. "The only ‘No Trespassing’ sign was affixed to the left gate and, because the gates were open, it was not visible to my client as he entered the property," she stated in the letter.
As the court date approaches, the case remains open, and the resolution of Gabriel Hostin’s trespassing citation rests with the Westchester County prosecutor. The incident has drawn public attention, particularly given Sunny Hostin’s prominent role as a national media figure and her vocal involvement in her son’s defense.
