Off-Duty BK Cop Attacked Driver In Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — An off-duty Brooklyn cop who spat at, punched and hurled racial slurs toward a driver and then tried to claim himself as the victim has been charged with a hate crime, according to prosecutors.

Riggs Kwong — an officer with Midwood's 70th Precinct — was arraigned Monday for the road rage incident, which began on Church Avenue earlier this year after Kwong blocked 32-year-old Abdul Motalab from driving his Rav-4 on the street, prosecutors said.

Motalab followed Kwong and ended up cutting him off near a service road near Ocean Parkway, sending Kwong into a racist rant, according to prosecutors.

“I’m trying to make a left here on the service road and this terrorist is terrorizing me, you’re upset because I didn’t let you make a U-turn, Mr. Mohammed…Al Qaeda, Terrorist, ISIS…” Kwong videotaped himself saying to the victim, according to prosecutors.

Kwong kept hurling racist slurs while Motalab, who was later charged with driving drunk, got out of his car and took a picture of Kwong's license plate, prosecutors said. Motalab got back in his car briefly, then got out again and slapped the hood of Kwong's Honda, prosecutors said.

When Kwong got out of his car, he spat at Motalab, who spat back, prosecutors said. Kwong then punched Motalab several times, knocking him to the ground, while still hurling anti-Muslim insults, prosecutors said.

As Motalab stood up, Kwong punched him again, rendering him unconscious, prosecutors said.

The off-duty cop then called 911 and told dispatchers Motalab had thrown the first punch. But video surveillance video showed it had only been Kwong who had punched Motalab, prosecutors said.

Kwong faces third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, second-degree aggravated harassment, falsely reporting an incident, improper use of colored or flashing lights and other charges, according to prosecutors.

“This defendant is charged with brutally assaulting a man until he lost consciousness while using anti-Muslim slurs following a traffic altercation," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. "We have no tolerance for hate-motivated violence in Brooklyn, and the alleged conduct is especially reprehensible because the defendant is a law enforcement officer."

Motalab, who was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, hs also been arraigned, prosectors said.

Both men were released without bail.