By Suzie Ziegler
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police are investigating a video of two young men laughing and pointing guns at a police officer in broad daylight, Fox 8 reported on Tuesday. The video, dated April 6, shows the men pulled alongside a squad car and allegedly waving loaded firearms at the officer. The officer sitting in his patrol car doesn’t appear to notice, perhaps due to tinted windows.
The video has made its rounds on social media, prompting an investigation from both the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cleveland Department of Public Safety. In the video, the men also mime firing their weapons at the officer.
Councilman Mike Polensek called the video troubling.
“When you look at that video and think what is going through their head, what are they thinking of,” said Polensek, chair of the Cleveland Public Safety Committee. “They think they can do whatever they want. They’re not afraid.”
Polensek says the incident could have had a different outcome if the officer had noticed the men’s antics.
“This could’ve gone extremely bad because if that officer would’ve looked to the right and saw a gun being pointed at him, he’d have every right to draw his service weapon and fire,” Polensek told Fox 8. “When you’re that emboldened, when you think you can point a gun at a police officer and just laugh about it like it’s a joke, you’re playing with your own life.”
Cleveland Police did not immediately comment on the video, but a spokesperson confirmed an investigation is underway and is being taken seriously, according to the report.