Virginia Officer Fired After Holding Army Lieutenant at Gunpoint During Traffic Stop

A police officer uses a spray agent on Caron Nazario on Dec. 20, 2020, in Windsor, Va. Nazario, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, is suing two Virginia police officers over a traffic stop during which he says the officers drew their guns and pointed them at him as he was dressed in uniform. Windsor Police via AP

A Virginia police officer who pepper-sprayed an army officer during a traffic stop last year has been fired, the Windsor Police Department announced on April 11.

Joe Gutierrez was one of the officers seen threatening Lt. Caron Nazario at gunpoint during the traffic stop at a gas station on Dec. 5, 2020. The incident first drew attention after Nazario sued the two officers, alleging that they had acted in a discriminatory manner and violated his constitutional rights.