By Thomas Tracy
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Investigators have arrested a Yonkers man they say targeted a Bronx cop with a water pellet gun as part of a viral TikTok challenge, police said Saturday.
Alex Montero, 20, is facing attempted assault charges for putting a police officer in the sights of his Orbeez gun as he rolled past the corner of E. 166th St. and Sheridan Ave., about two blocks away from the Grand Concourse, on Friday, cops said.
Montero did not fire his air weapon and no injuries were reported, police said.
Cops were investigating if he threatened the officer for the “Orbeez Challenge,” where participants record themselves either targeting or firing water pellets at people randomly on the street.
Other videos that have popped up, mostly on TikTok, show a Bronx traffic agent getting struck by similar pellets and an NYPD police officer being ambushed by a troublemaker with the same type of toy gun. The hooligan mocked the cop as he closed in.
“Look at this dumb n----r,” the shooter says as he fires beads at the officer. “Look at him!”
Another video, taken from a car passing by Bronx Supreme Court, shows someone pointing a toy gun at court officers, though it does not appear anything was fired.
The prank took a fatal turn early Thursday when city correction officer Dion Middleton, 45, fatally shot Raymond Chaluisant, 18, in the face while the victim rode in a silver Acura, firing an Orbeez air pistol out the window.
Middleton, who was off-duty at the time, told police that he felt threatened when Chaluisant fired a water pellet at his back, though he admitted that he did not see a gun before he opened fire on the passing car. He’s now facing a second-degree murder charge.
The NYPD on Thursday tweeted a warning about “bead blasters” toy guns that shoot gel water beads using compressed air.
https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1550250200807112704
“Violators found in possession of these will be issued a criminal summons & the weapon will be confiscated,” the NYPD said.
https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1550917125744762888
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