Shoplifting suspect pepper sprays Yonkers officer during chase, ends up tased and handcuffed
Police say 46-year-old Fernando Rivera, of The Bronx, stole a piece of jewelry from the TJ Maxx in Cross County.
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A shoplifting suspect is facing multiple charges for pepper spraying an officer during a pursuit Wednesday in Yonkers, according to authorities.
Police say 46-year-old Fernando Rivera, of The Bronx, stole a piece of jewelry from the TJ Maxx in Cross County.
An officer already in the area for an unrelated call began to chase him as he ran through the parking garage toward Central Park Avenue.
Police say Rivera pulled out a can of pepper spray once the officer caught up, sprayed her and then continued running.
The officer deployed her taser despite being sprayed and ended his escape attempt.
The stolen jewelry, pepper spray and drug paraphernalia were found following his arrest.
The Yonkers Police Department says the officer was treated for minor injuries and has since returned to work.
The charges against Rivera include robbery, assault, resisting arrest, criminal possession of a weapon, petit larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Bodycam footage of the incident was released by the department. In a post on Facebook, they condemn his actions, saying he “risked it all for a $12 piece of jewelry.”
“Rivera made a decision that turned a shoplifting investigation into something much more serious,” stated the post. “That's not something we see every day, and it's certainly not something we're going to tolerate.”
