A New York man has been charged with attempted murder for brandishing a knife-claw at protesters and telling them: 'I'll kill you&...
A New York man has been charged with attempted murder for brandishing a knife-claw at protesters and telling them: 'I'll kill you' - before driving his SUV along the sidewalk and attempting to hit them.
Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, confronted protesters in the Whitestone area of Queens on Tuesday.
Well-known to the police, and with a history of making threats on social media, Cavalluzzi is seen brandishing a knife claw and threatening the Black Lives Matter demonstrators before ramming his car at them.
Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, has been charged with attempted murder for attacking protesters
Melinda Katz, Queens district attorney, said it was 'amazing' that no one was killed in the incident.
He was arraigned on charges including attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first and second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, menacing in the second degree, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
'In a burst of anger and rage, this defendant allegedly sought to kill protesters who were peacefully assembled and exercising their right to free speech,' said Katz.
'No one at any time should infringe upon another's Constitutionally-protected freedoms and doing so with the intent to injure and maim is criminal.'
Cavalluzzi's Facebook page shows his support for Donald Trump and a series of gun rights groups.
The day before the attack Cavalluzzi posted on Facebook that someone had robbed his van, and threatened to 'burn their house to the ground'.
In the week prior to his attack he seemed to be growing increasingly furious as protests mounted, tweeting: 'I still have that bullet in the chamber, and several others for the rest of the scum trying to take down my constitution'.
Cavalluzzi posted on Facebook that he had been robbed the day before his rampage
Cavalluzzi was increasingly angered by the protests which had sprung up since Floyd's killing
Even before the killing of Floyd on May 25, Cavalluzzi was posting in fury against the government, railing against what he said was an attempt to take away Americans' guns
Protests had been largely peaceful Tuesday, and streets were calmer than they have been in the days since the killing of George Floyd set off sometimes violent demonstrations against police brutality and injustice.
But a number of videos of this incident were widely shared online showing the man driving up onto the sidewalk where a number of people were protesting.
People are forced to run out of the way of the vehicle before he speeds off.
In a second clip the man tells onlookers: 'I'll kill you. I'll kill you.'
Footage shows Cavalluzzi threatening to kill protesters while brandishing knifes
Cavalluzzi pulled onto the sidewalk in Queens on Tuesday before driving at demonstrators. People are forced to run out of the way of the vehicle before he speeds off
He appears to have a number of knives strapped to his arm. Protesters run and can be heard screaming as he shouts at them.
Arianna Agudo, who posted the footage, said: 'This man had four knives tied up on his arm and was trying to stab kids and then he got up on his car and got on the sidewalk and tried to run over this people, people who are less than 21-years-old.'
She added: 'People are literally crazy. They don't even think twice on taking somebody's life and end it just like that.
'I'm sick and tired of this! People are protesting for what's right, for justice! They're not doing nothing wrong!'
Posting the footage to Twitter, @lambomursy wrote: '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.'
Another protester added: 'Please find this man. We were putting signs up, he drove on the street to run us down and had a weapon. There's kids here.' 
Cavalluzzi is pictured driving away from the scene on Tuesday. He was arrested on Thursday
Cavalluzzi, who lives in upstate New York, has business interests in Queens, and a long history of run-ins with the law.
He has eight prior arrests dating back to 1988, the New York Post reported, and was most recently detained on January 22, 2016 for assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and obstruction during a traffic stop on the Upper East Side.
That incident bears strong parallels to Tuesday's attack: he is accused of exiting his vehicle, acting erratically and running and screaming towards the officer’s vehicle before attacking the patrol-person.
In April 2012 he was charged with menacing with a weapon in the second degree after he punched his female landlord, displayed a knife and again, threatened officers, police said.
In February 2004 he was arrested for intentionally breaking the rear window of a vehicle and resisting arrest during a road rage incident.
Back in September 1998, he was charged with harassment, assault causing injury with a weapon and for leaving the scene of an accident in another road rage dispute.
Queens Criminal Court Judge Mary Berjarano set Cavalluzzi’s bail at $100,000.
His next court appearance is set for July 2.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Protests had been largely peaceful Tuesday and streets were calmer than they had been
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