Immigrant Arrested After Dousing NYPD Officer With Chemical

It is simple for mayors, governor and other politicians to say things like, perhaps police do not need to be armed for routine traffic stops as they sit in their nice houses with 24/7 protection from armed police and guards.

But for the police who patrol the streets and are faced with potential danger at every traffic stop it is not as simple.

After Daunte wright was killed by an officer who purportedly mistook her firearm for her Taser, Brooklyn Park Mayor Mark Elliott made the absurd suggestion, Fox News reported. But a video shared on Saturday should serve as notice to him as what could happen if police were unarmed.

“I don’t believe officers need to necessarily have weapons every time they’re making a traffic stop. Or engaged in situations that don’t necessarily call for more weapons,” he said.

“We cannot afford to make mistakes that lead to the loss of life of other people,” he said. “We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that justice is done and our communities are made whole.”

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Who is “we?” How many times has Mayor Elliott been faced with making life and death decisions where his life was on the line?

A video from the New York Police Department showed precisely what can happen at any traffic stop as a man was seen on video dousing a police officer with some type of chemical.

“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,” NYPD News said in a tweet with the video.

“This morning, NYPD cops were attacked with Molotov cocktails during a car stop. Detectives: This shocking video is a reminder of the dangers we face every day. Stay alert, protect yourself, your fellow cops, and the public — and the DEA will protect you,” The Detectives Endowment Association said.

“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,” reporter Andy Ngo said.

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The good news is that Virgile was apprehended and may face federal charges, and no police officers were seriously injured in the attack, ABC News reported.

He was taken into custody, but three more devices were found inside his car.

Sources tell Eyewitness News writings of some type were also found — although it’s not clear what those say.

Eyewitness News spoke exclusively with the suspect’s brother who tells us he suffers from mental illness and had been living in his car.

He had also been taken into custody before the incident, but let go.

NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea put out a message on Twitter, saying the incident is another reminder of how quickly a situation can change and the dangers cops face every day while they are protecting New Yorkers. Shea says it was a routine stop with a couple of calm cops that could have been seriously injured or worse.

Fox News contributor, and former Democrat, Leo Terrell tore into Mayor Elliot for his ridiculous proposal.

“He’s not ready for prime time. What are his qualifications to articulate such a statement? I would submit to you that he’s not a police officer,” he said.

“He doesn’t have any formal police officer training so what gives him those qualifications or the audacity to say that? I would also submit to you for you to consider, Sandra, the New Mexico situation where an officer was shot at a routine traffic stop. Every routine traffic stop is not routine,” he said.

“All facts are different. And this mayor does not have the qualifications to even make a statement. I submit to you that he was playing to the crowd that was basically anti-cop,” he said.