“He Brought a Gun to a Chainsaw Fight”: NYPD Cleared in Disputed Queens Arrest
Brooklyn, NY — A federal judge has ruled that NYPD officers acted within their constitutional authority when they arrested a Queens man who pulled a gun during a violent street dispute involving a revving chainsaw, granting summary judgment to the City and Officer Demetrius Reynolds.
In a sharply worded decision, U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan dismissed Gregg Thompson’s false arrest lawsuit, finding that police had probable cause to detain him based on conflicting eyewitness accounts and video footage, even if Thompson claimed he acted in defense of his family.
“In a twist on the classic proverb,” Judge Cogan wrote, “plaintiff in this action brought a gun to a chainsaw fight.”
The altercation
The bizarre chain of events began when a group of landscapers allegedly parked in front of Thompson’s Queens driveway on a day in 2023. After Thompson’s wife asked them to move, tempers flared. According to Thompson, the workers verbally abused her, and the confrontation quickly escalated. He claims he was shoved, punched, and that one landscaper even revved up a chainsaw and chased his wife and daughter.
In response, Thompson says he went into his home, retrieved his licensed handgun and peace officer badge, and returned outside to instruct the landscapers to drop the chainsaw. He insists he never pointed the weapon at anyone.
The landscapers, however, told police that Thompson had threatened them with the firearm during the dispute. One worker called 911, claiming he feared for his life.
Officer Reynolds’ decision
Officer Reynolds, who responded to the scene with his partner, spoke with both the landscapers and Thompson. After reviewing Ring camera footage showing Thompson approaching the landscapers with a gun in hand — albeit pointed down — Reynolds arrested him for criminal menacing.
Thompson was later released without charges and subsequently filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging false arrest and unlawful seizure.
Judge: Officer could “take his pick”
But Judge Cogan found that Officer Reynolds’ actions were justified under the law, citing the well-established principle that police can make arrests based on reasonable belief in the credibility of any party to a dispute.
“The police-officer defendant, crediting the post-fight testimony of plaintiff’s saw-revving adversaries, subsequently arrested plaintiff for criminal menacing,” the judge wrote. “Because the officer was constitutionally permitted to take his pick of the combatants’ conflicting accounts, defendants’ motion for summary judgment is granted.”
The court emphasized that police need not determine the truth of conflicting witness statements on the spot — only whether a reasonable officer could believe a crime had been committed.
No trial for Thompson
The ruling ends Thompson’s case at the summary judgment stage, without a trial. The City and Officer Reynolds are now cleared of liability.
Key Points
- Queens man Gregg Thompson claimed he pulled a gun to protect his family from a chainsaw-wielding landscaper.
- Police arrested him after hearing conflicting stories and viewing Ring camera footage.
- Federal judge rules officers had probable cause and dismisses lawsuit.
