Scene from the incident (Image via @lambomursy Twitter)
June 4, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
A knife-wielding man who tried to attack a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in Whitestone on Wednesday has been arrested.
Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, faces a number of charges – including criminal possession of a weapon – following his attempt to attack protesters on Clintonville Street, according to police.
About 10 young demonstrators had assembled on a bridge above the Cross Island Parkway at around 3:45 p.m. to protest the killing of George Floyd last week. They had also posted several signs along the fence.
Cavalluzzi, who lives on 150th Street in Flushing, was seen arguing with the demonstrators while he was driving by in his gray 2003 SUV.
Protesters could be heard yelling, “white trash, bitch,” and “fuck you,” in an online video.
Cavalluzzi could be heard shouting to the crowd, “you’re in the wrong neighborhood.”
Police said that Cavalluzzi then pulled up alongside the protesters. He got out of the car and ran at the crowd while waving a bladed weapon.
The medieval-looking device, which Cavalluzzi had strapped to his right arm, appeared to have two long blades and two shorter blades on the outside, according to social media footage.
“You wanna throw shit at my car, you wanna throw shit at my car,” Cavalluzzi could be heard shouting as he went at people in the crowd.
Cavalluzzi did not strike anyone with the weapon, police said.
According to the police complaint, Cavalluzzi then got back into his SUV, hit the gas and turned the vehicle around. He mounted the sidewalk and drove the vehicle at high speed in the direction of the protesters.
The protesters scrambled away from the car without being hit. They told the police they feared for their lives.
The car then sped off the sidewalk and turned left onto Cross Island Parkway, according to videos posted on social media. The SUV appeared to head in an eastward direction along Cross Island Parkway.
right now this man in Whitestone New York was threatening people with a sword/multiple blades and then drove right through them ….. someone find out who he is right now pic.twitter.com/BrHcZGRWMr
— moo (@lambomursy) June 2, 2020
Police said were no reported injuries as a result of the incident.
Cavalluzzi has also been charged with six counts of reckless endangerment and seven counts of menacing.
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11 Comments
Let’s defend him! Other people are worse.
About 10 young demonstrators had assembled on a bridge above the Cross Island Parkway at around 3:45 p.m. to protest the killing of George Floyd last week. They had also posted several signs along the fence. Were they also selling lemonade with proceeds going to end systemic racsim and eradicate white privilege ?
You’re against that too right? Otherwise your hypocritical words are meaningless.
We even have him on tape saying he knew they were peaceful but made him “look weak.” Can’t have hurt feelings can we!
“He mounted the sidewalk and drove the vehicle at high speed in the direction of the protesters.” LOL… exaggerate much
No, that is exactly what happened. Tons of eyewitness testimony. Not the first time we’ve seen a Trump lover try to plow into a group of unarmed protestors.
Thank God the police got this guy….oh wait, sorry, F the police, right? Let’s defund them, we don’t need them, those people on the bridge want them gone…until ninja blade Johnny turns around and gives chase…then they call for the Police. I am all for protest but it needs to be authentic, Queens used to be authentic, now it is just a bunch of fake a** transplants.
They weren’t protesting the police . They were protesting systemic racism in the justice system . That’s not very difficult to understand.
Also, this man is only 54? Omg , he ‘s got bigger issues .
This transplant complaint is so tired.
Your authentic Queens guy strapped knives to his arm and drove down a sidewalk at a group of teens . Lol Not really a winner we got ourselves here.
You’re really out of the loop. You can support police without supporting murderers.
You can like cops and not like murder…at the same time!! Can you believe it?!
Can you believe it?!