NEW YORK (AP) - A homeless man is facing federal charges in connection to the burning of a police officer’s vehicle as it was parked on a New York City street, officials said Thursday.
Authorities said Michael Rodriguez, 32, had approached the vehicle, which was parked on a Brooklyn street and had a placard of the New York Police Department, in the early morning hours of June 2. The car had been assigned to an NYPD captain.
In the federal complaint, authorities said video footage showed Rodriguez pouring liquid on the unoccupied vehicle, putting cardboard on it and setting the cardboard on fire.
Rodriguez was arrested Thursday and ordered detained pending trial by a federal judge. An email was sent to an attorney in the federal defender’s office for comment. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
In the complaint, authorities said he appeared to record the fire and remained at the location until the vehicle was completely ablaze before leaving. Another car parked nearby was also damaged.
Authorities said law enforcement was led to him after getting information after a public release about the fire.
In the early days of protest in New York City against the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer, numerous police cars were set on fire.
Three people are facing federal charges in connection to the throwing of Molotov cocktails at police vehicles in two separate incidents in Brooklyn.
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