OH Man Busted After Pointing Gun At Police Car

A Toledo, Ohio man is facing multiple charges after posting a video on Facebook of him pointing a gun at a police cruiser with two officers inside.

25-year old Christopher Lofton was busted Thursday afternoon after an eagle-eyed detective saw the Facebook video and was able to identify the car that Lofton was in when he recorded the video. The vehicle was spotted by authorities, but as they moved Lofton took off.

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When Lofton attempted the leave the parking lot, the officers made a traffic stop. As they got out of the vehicle, Lofton sped away down Woodland. The chase went to Ewing and Pinewood until it dead-ends into Division, where Lofton attempted to run on foot. He was caught a short time later after trying to jump a fence but failed and fell on his face.

Lofton was treated for facial abrasions by Toledo Fire & Rescue, and he was booking into Lucas County Jail, where 12 grams of cocaine were found stuffed into his body.

According to police, the gun that was recovered had been reported stolen, and now Lofton’s been charged with multiple offenses, including felony fleeing and eluding, having weapons while under disability, and trafficking and possession of cocaine.

Lofton’s arrest in Toledo comes as law enforcement officers across the country have been targeted in ambush attacks. In Phoenix, two officers were shot at this week as they sat in their patrol car, though thankfully they weren’t injured.

DPS officials say the suspect drove up to troopers while a teen sitting in the passenger’s seat attempted to shoot them with an assault rifle.

DPS officials say the shooting was unprovoked; the suspects targeted the detectives and fired first. The detectives happened to be in the area to provide support for other troopers who were conducting a separate investigation,

“Our detectives were wearing police attires, easily identifiable as police officers. We’re here simply supporting another opertation going on nearby,” said Capt. Jesse Galvez with DPS.

“He began to shoot at our trooper as he exited his vehicle,” said DPS Director Col. Heston Silbert.

Officials say the shooting was unprovoked.

“Had the trooper not had the wherewithall and the ability to quickly exit his vehicle and engage the suspect, undoubtedly, he would have been shot or killed,” said Col. Silbert.

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In Kern County, California this week a deputy was ambushed as responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle. The officer was forced to shoot his alleged attacker, 31-year old Ricardo Enrique Usher. And in New Jersey, a husband and wife who are both police officers had their home targeted in a drive-by shooting.

“Thank God the officers and their baby were uninjured,” said Camden County Police Chief Joseph Wysocki at a press conference Thursday, adding, “I do know that this was a targeted attack against this residence and the officers inside.”

Authorities said a Honda Odyssey pulled up to the home on Tuesday and opened fire.

The vehicle has since been recovered, and police are searching for the vehicle’s owner, driver or additional passengers.

“It’s critical for us to speak to the owner, the occupants or friends of anybody that operates this vehicle,” Wysocki said during the press conference.

All these incidents have taken place after the shooting of two Los Angeles County deputies last weekend. No arrest has been made in that case, but the reward for information leading to an arrest has grown to more than $600,000. The 24-year old deputy who was shot has also been released from the hospital, while his 31-year old partner, who managed to call for help after she had been shot in the jaw, remains hospitalized but is expected to recover.

Policing is always a dangerous job, but it’s truly disturbing to see so many ambush attacks on officers in just a one-week span. Murders and shootings are already spiking in many cities thanks to violent criminals feeling emboldened by everything from coronavirus-related court closures to the defunding of many police departments. Sadly, too many politicians in charge of these cities are still pretending that the increase in violence can be addressed by targeting legal gun owners with more gun control laws, when they should be ensuring swift and certain consequences for those committing violent crimes.

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