Eyewitness News ABC7NY published April 17, 2021: Man hurls Molotov cocktail, chemical at officers after running red light in Brooklyn. A man was arrested after throwing a chemical and a Molotov cocktail at officers when they pulled him over in Brooklyn Saturday.
CBS New York published April 19, 2021: Suspect Charged With Attempted Arson For Allegedly Throwing Molotov Cocktain At NYPD Vehicle. Lionel Virgile is accused of throwing bleach in an NYPD officer's face and a Molotov cocktail at other officers. He was arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday. CBS2's Kiran Dhillon reports.
A Connecticut man was taken into custody Saturday after hurling bleach in an NYPD officer’s face and throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at others. Lionel Virgile appears to be an immigrant from Haiti based on my early investigation. #BLM https://t.co/njOGWS4TJa
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) April 18, 2021
CBS New York
written by Staff
Sunday April 18, 2021
NEW YORK — A Connecticut man was taken into custody Saturday after allegedly hurling bleach in an NYPD officer’s face and throwing a lit Molotov cocktail at others.
It happened around 8 a.m. in Brooklyn.
The incident started early Saturday morning when police pulled over a 44-year-old man for running a red light in the area of Claredon Road and East 45th Street in East Flatbush.
That’s when police say the man threw bleach in the face of the officer before speeding off.
A few minutes later, not far away, other officers stopped the vehicle near the corner of 54th Street and Snyder Avenue. The suspect then allegedly threw a lit Molotov cocktail at them.
The bottle bounced off the NYPD car and broke when it hit the street.
The suspect again sped off, only to crash. He was then arrested.
At that time, officers discovered three additional Molotov cocktails in his vehicle.
The suspect has been identified as Lionel Virgile, of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Many in the neighborhood say they are disturbed by the attacks.
“I think it’s very sad. Police officers are here to protect us and to keep us safe,” one person told CBS2’s Kiran Dhillon.
“I don’t like that. I don’t like violence,” another person said.
“This is insane. I never heard nothing from this,” one woman said. “We’ve been living over here since the ’90s, and it’s never been nothing this insane … If I was doing the same job, I should not be put in danger at all. No, absolutely not.”
“No matter what, every officer is an individual and that particular instance, that is an individual and he was just doing a traffic stop, so in that specific instance, no, that should not have transpired,” another woman said.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea responded to the incident on Twitter, saying in part, “This is another reminder of how quickly a situation can change [and] the dangers your cops face every day while they’re protecting [New Yorkers].”
Anyone with information on this incident please contact @NYPDTips . Today and everyday your @NYPDnews Police Officers are out there keeping NYC safe. @NewYorkFBI @EDNYnews @BrooklynDA https://t.co/y3yNzYul1W
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) April 17, 2021
This is another reminder of how quickly a situation can change, & the dangers your cops face every day while they’re protecting NYers.
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) April 17, 2021
Even after arrest, the investigation into this attack remains active.
And your NYPD cops will not relent in their mission to keep you safe. https://t.co/tuymwW6O4D
Retired NYPD sergeant Johnny Nunez agrees.
“The political rhetoric going around, I think it’s a dangerous thing that’s happening right now,” he said. “You’re talking about a Molotov cocktail, talking about a liquid, possible chemical that could disfigure someone.”
The officer who had the chemical thrown in his face was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries to his face and blurred vision.
No other officers were hurt during this incident.
Charges against Virgile are pending.
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