Unlit Molotov cocktail found near portable toilet near Municipal Court

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AUSTIN, Texas - A man has been arrested after he reportedly made a Molotov cocktail and placed it near a portable toilet near Municipal Court in downtown Austin.

The incident happened at around 10:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 within the 700 block of the frontage service road for southbound IH-35. 25-year-old Cyril Lartigue was detained and arrested.

Court documents show that fire/arson investigators with the Austin Fire Department spoke to Lartigue who denied making the device and also denied igniting any of the intentionally set fires in the area. They examined Lartigue's backpack and found items including a yellow safety hard-hat, a lighter, a bottle labeled for lighter fluid, and several small sections of cloth material. 

Officials then looked at HALO camera footage which showed a man, who was identified by police as Lartigue, wearing items found in Lartigue's backpack. The man is seen squatting near a portable toilet near the headquarters of the Austin Police Department and the Municipal Court building entrance. 

The video reportedly shows Lartigue opening a beer bottle, pouring out its contents, retrieving material from his backpack, and then stuffing that material into the mouth/opening of the bottle.

Lartigue is then seen on video removing the cloth material, getting a small container from his backpack, and putting contents of the container into the bottle. He's then seen saturating the cloth using the same contents from the container.

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It's at that moment, at around 10:42 p.m., Austin police officers approach the area and Lartigue is seen leaving the area but leaving behind the device.

Lartigue returns at around 10:51 p.m. and retrieves the device. He's then seen at around 10:57 p.m. entering the portable toilet across the street. Shortly after, police officers are seen in front of the portable toilet.

Lartigue has been charged with possession or manufacture of a prohibited weapon which is a third-degree felony.