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Queens, NY (77WABC)-Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz Wednesday announced a 39-count indictment against a NYC man who allegedly went after Black Lives Matter protestors in Queens in June of 2020. The DA says the grand jury indictment alleges 55-year-old Frank Cavalluzzi, of 150th Street in Flushing, became enraged when he spotted BLM protestors in his neighborhood.
Cavalluzzi reportedly donned a glove of homemade knives chasing after protestors on foot. The DA says Cavalluzzi stepped up the attack by getting into his SUV attempting to run victims over. No one was hurt. Videos of what had been a peaceful protest went viral showing protestors running for safety.
Katz said, “The defendant, in this case, became enraged when he spotted Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrating in the neighborhood. The moments that followed were a sheer terror for the victims. As alleged, the defendant donned a glove made of knives – something resembling a horror movie prop – and chased the peaceful protesters on foot. Then with people running for their lives, he allegedly stepped up the attack by getting back in his SUV and tried to run the victims over with the nearly two-ton vehicle.”
A portion of the video is below:
The DA says the BLM protestors were demonstrating at approximately 3:45 p.m.the afternoon of June 2nd, 2020 at the intersection of the Cross Island Parkway service road and Clintonville Street. About a dozen protestors were taking part with signs and posters calling for justice in the killing of George Floyd at the time of the incidents.
Cavalluzzi was arraigned Wed. morning on a 39-count indictment before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gene Lopez. He is charged with nine counts of attempted murder in the second degree, nine counts of attempted assault in the first and second degree, one count of reckless endangerment in the first degree, nine counts of menacing in the second degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and reckless driving.
Justice Lopez set Cavalluzzi’s return date for May 5, 2021. The defendant faces up to 25 years in prison for each victim if convicted.
