A routine traffic stop in Brooklyn went awry after a driver attacked NYPD officers with chemicals and a Molotov cocktail. The suspect was detained after a brief chase.
The suspect, identified by local media as Lionel Virgile, was stopped by the cops on Saturday after running a red light.
Bodycam footage released by the NYPD shows an officer approaching Virgile’s car and asking for his license and registration. The man answers that he doesn’t have the documents, and begins to open the driver’s side door. Virgile then lunges towards the cop as he throws a clear liquid on his face. It’s unclear what the liquid was, but reports suggest bleach or peroxide.
The officer runs back to his patrol car as he shouts, “Oh s**t!”
Today, a vehicle stop for running a red light proved once again that no traffic enforcement is “routine.” When approached, the driver doused a cop with a chemical before fleeing, tossing a Molotov cocktail — and finally being arrested. Fortunately, our officers weren’t injured. pic.twitter.com/WBDt89b7F6
According to the police, the suspect then sped off. A few minutes later, Virgile was spotted by other officers who tried to apprehend him. The 44-year-old allegedly attempted to resist arrest by throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at the police cruiser. The improvised incendiary device bounced off the patrol car and shattered in the street, the NYPD said.
Virgile then tried to drive away before crashing into a parked vehicle. This time, he was cuffed before he was able to mount another escape attempt.
Police found several other Molotov cocktails after searching his car. A local ABC affiliate said that it had spoken with the brother of the suspect, who said that Virgile is “mentally unstable.” He was reportedly arrested about a month ago and has since been living in his car.
When cops in Brooklyn stopped a car this AM for running a red light, the driver threw a chemical at our officer before speeding off. Stopped again, the driver threw a lit Molotov cocktail at cops & fled before crashing. The man was arrested & more Molotov cocktails were recovered pic.twitter.com/gQPrADEKJI
Local media reported that he will be facing at least one count of possession of a destructive weapon.
An NYPD union, the Police Benevolent Association, responded to the attack by claiming that “anti-police rhetoric” used by elected officials has created a hostile environment for officers in the city.
???????????? SAFETY ALERT ???? ???????? MOS Attacked with Molotov Cocktail, Chemical Agent pic.twitter.com/LtyNlNRtfx
The attack comes amid a spate of officer-involved shootings in the US. Anti-police sentiment, as well as campaigns to “defund” police forces, have become prevalent following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis cops last year.
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