The teenage passenger who filmed himself encouraging his friend to run over a retired police officer riding a bicycle in Las Vegas was arrested Tuesday, authorities announced.
The unidentified juvenile and the teenage driver, who was already in custody, face murder charges in the disturbing hit-and-run death of Andreas Probst, 64, last month, Las Vegas officials said at a news conference.
“It’s a complete lack of awareness on the part of this and the worst thing in the video is that you hear that it was all intentional,” said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Detective Lt. Jason Johansen.
Police say the passenger filmed the harrowing video showing Probst being deliberately hit and left for dead while on his morning bike ride around 6 a.m. on August 14.
The driver can be heard asking his friend, laughing: “Ready?” as he speeds directly behind the retired police officer.
“Yes, hit his butt,” the passenger tells the driver before the car crashes into the retiree.
Probst was thrown against the windshield, sending shards of glass through the car and onto the car before crashing onto the side of the road.
Andreas Probst died while riding his bicycle in a designated bike lane in Las Vegas.TaraBull/X
“Damn, that black got knocked out!” says the passenger as the driver is heard stepping on the accelerator.
The murder was the most serious in a series of crimes the couple allegedly carried out that morning, authorities said.
The pair allegedly beat a 72-year-old man around 5:30 a.m., leaving him with non-life-threatening injuries.
They are also accused of intentionally crashing into a second car driving nearby before targeting Probst.
Probst was a retired police officer who spent 35 years working in law enforcement. Eva Vlaardingerbroek/Facebook
Police said the teens stole at least four cars to carry out the wave of violence.
The 17-year-old who crashed into Probst was arrested the same day as Probst’s death on suspicion of hit-and-run.
Authorities announced the upgraded murder charge after video of the incident surfaced. Prosecutors said both teens will be tried as adults.
It took police five weeks to locate the passenger, who was wearing a mask in surveillance footage obtained by investigators.
He was eventually caught in part because of the damning video, which police were alerted to by a school resource officer who had been provided the footage by a student.
Probst’s daughter, Taylor, said she does not believe her father was targeted because of his history in law enforcement.8News Now
Disturbing footage of the incident was captured on video and appeared on social media.garbagehuman4.0, /Instagram
Footage showed Probst on the ground after being hit by the car.garbagehuman4.0, /Instagram
Clark County District Attorney Steve Watson, a self-proclaimed cycling addict, promised that he would personally work on the prosecution’s case against the two teens.
“When I saw this video, it moved me so much. In such a way that other cyclists can appreciate it,” she said.
Probst’s family said Tuesday they believe the senseless killing was caused by the effect “social media has on our youth,” not his 35 years in law enforcement.
Both teens will be tried as adults, prosecutors said. Conservative Review/Facebook
The former police officer had moved to Sin City after retiring as police chief in Bell, California, in 2009.
“Andy’s life was stolen by two individuals who did not believe the lives of others mattered,” his daughter Taylor said, calling her father a “man of honor and integrity.”
“He was a Little League dad, an honorary member of Girl Scouts…and was always there for the various activities we did as a family. His colleagues remember him as a real-life Pee-wee Herman. He was a joker, a prankster and always had a way of making you laugh.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn