Catskill Woman Accused Of Hurling Molotov Cocktail At NYPD Car

CATSKILL, NY — A Hudson Valley woman was accused, along with two Brooklyn residents, of throwing Molotov cocktails at New York City Police Department vehicles. Samantha Shader, 27, of Catskill, was arrested Saturday after throwing the incendiary device at an NYPD vehicle occupied by four police officers.

The incident took place amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Shader was recorded on video by a witness around 1:15 a.m. that showed her lighting the Molotov cocktail and tossing it at the police vehicle, police said.

The device broke two car windows and damaged the inside of the vehicle. Authorities said an unidentified man tried to shield Shader from onlookers.

She was chased by police as she tried to flee, and they apprehend her, prosecutors said.

Shader later told the police she threw the device, according to authorities.

Additionally, two criminal complaints were filed Saturday in federal court accusing Colinford Mattis, 32, and Urooj Rahman, 31, of tossing a Molotov cocktail at an empty police vehicle parked near an NYPD precinct around 1 a.m.

Rahman fled the scene in a tan minivan and was chased by police. Mattis, authorities said, was driving the van when he and Rahman were arrested.

All three were expected to appearance Monday in Brooklyn federal court via teleconference.

Richard P. Donoghue, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the three people were charged with attacking the city's police department while officers were risking their lives to protect the constitutional rights of protesters and everyone's safety.

"No rational human being can ever believe that hurling firebombs at police officers and vehicles is justified," he said. "The Eastern District of New York will do everything in its power to protect those who protect us all, and we will ensure that criminals who use the camouflage of lawful protest to launch violent attacks against police officers face justice."

If convicted, each individual faces a mandatory-minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years' imprisonment.

Like Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.