A man was arrested Friday after he poured gasoline on a woman and threatened to light her on fire in front of a police detective in Northeast D.C., authorities said. An officer was also injured trying to arrest the suspect.
Seymour Brown Jr., a 46-year-old resident of Northeast, was charged with assault with intent to kill and possession of a prohibited weapon.
At around 11:02 p.m. Friday, as the detective was driving on Bladensburg Road in an unmarked D.C. police cruiser, he saw a man argue with a woman and then “repeatedly douse” her with a liquid in the street’s 1200 block, court documents state.
The pair kept fighting until they were in the street, in front of the detective’s cruiser. When the detective got out of his vehicle, “he immediately smelled gasoline,” police said.
Authorities say the suspect was also holding a cigarette lighter and said, “I’m going to burn you,” while attempting to get close to the victim.
Police said as Brown was being handcuffed he said he wanted to burn the woman and light her on fire.
The victim said the fight was about her bike, and both she and the suspect told police they do not know each other. Police said she had gasoline on her jacket, shirt, shorts and face, and refused medical treatment.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Court documents added that an officer was cut trying to handcuff Brown because he was holding two pairs of garden shears in each hand with blades “appearing to be longer than three inches” during his arrest.
This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.
