Shocking moment Canadian tourist repeatedly punches police in the head and tries to grab his handgun at Colombia airport before being arrested
Vince-Tong Sozio was arrested Tuesday morning at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia after assaulting police officer Jon LaGorcha, the 34-year-old Canadian tried to take the police’s service weapon and punched him several times in front of a group of men. He was restrained. Sozio arrived in Colombia on July 4 and was not carrying luggage or his return flight ticket to the airport, except for a dog he was walking.
A Canadian man has been arrested in Colombia after he repeatedly punched a police officer in the head and tried to take his handgun at an airport.
Vince-Tong approached Socio Officer Jon LaGorcha at Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport on Tuesday morning and began punching him, authorities said.
Footage shows the 34-year-old tourist punching Lagarcha across the face before a group of men come forward to help restrain him.
The cause of the attack was not immediately clear and Sozio was taken for a psychiatric evaluation.
A woman can be heard shouting in the background, ‘Why are more police coming?’ Another shouted, ‘What’s going on? Respect authority, how dare you?’
Police escort Vince-Tong Sojio, who was arrested Tuesday morning after assaulting a police officer during a failed attempt to grab his gun at El Dorado International Airport
Visitors at Colombia’s El Dorado International Airport keep their distance as police officer Jon LaGorcha (left) is assaulted by Vince-Tong Sozio (right).
El Dorado police director Colonel Augusto Gil told reporters that Sozio arrived in Colombia on July 4.
He had no luggage or a return flight ticket, but was clutching a pet dog when he suddenly assaulted Lagarcha.
Gill said Sozio was on the second floor of the terminal when he crossed paths with Lagarcha and turned to grab his gun.
He added that Sojo will undergo a psychological evaluation.
Canadian citizen Vince-Tong Sozio struggled with police officer Jon LaGorcha as he tried to grab his gun at a terminal at El Dorado International Airport on Tuesday. The 34-year-old was taken into custody pending charges
Good Samaritans swung into action Tuesday morning to stop a Canadian man from taking a police officer’s gun at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia.
Bogota Metropolitan Police Chief, General William Salamanca, applauded the brave Good Samaritans for jumping into action and preventing Sozio from seizing control of Lagarcha’s service arms.
‘We don’t know what this citizen’s reaction was to trying to take a weapon from a police officer,’ he said. ‘Community response, community solidarity to be commended.’
Bogota’s former mayor, Enrique Peñalosa, took to Twitter to condemn Sozio’s behavior.
‘In a serious country, assaulting a police officer or a public official serving the public carries a jail term of several months,’ he wrote.
Sozio is expected to be arraigned before a judge, though a date has not been set.
He faces four to eight years in prison if convicted.