It Was Likely A Soda Bottle, Not A Brick, Thrown At A Park Police Officer During #OccupyDC Raid
Media outlets across the country and especially here in Washington D.C. reported that a police officer was struck by a brick in the face during a raid at OccupyDC McPherson Square on Saturday.
In fact, it was the headline for the Associated Press report on the clearing of the McPherson camp.
Well, it appears they got it wrong. It wasn’t a brick, it was a Coca-Cola bottle, according to a court-filed police report obtained by WatchDC today.
The report reads, “As officers sought to secure a perimeter around the northern edge of McPherson Square, officers observed [Jeremiah Desausa] throw a bottle containing a brown liquid at the police officers who were standing in full uniform in the center median area of K Street, N.W.”
It states that he then got away, but police eventually found him. In the process of putting him under arrest, the report notes, “An officer deployed his department issued Taser to gain control of the suspect.”
The report goes on to say the bottle struck Park Police Officer Lt. G. Monahan in the face near his right eye and that he suffered a bloody nose. He was immediately flown to Medstar Health for treatment, according to the report. As of Monday, states the report, Monahan was still suffering “compromised vision from that eye.”
The report states Desausa later admitted to police that he had thrown the bottle, but claimed he was not trying to hit anyone.
The report does not state whether the bottle was glass or plastic.
Desausa was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and resisting arrest.
Reports are also slowly trickling out about the arrest of protester Nate Gorecki, who was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer.
A National Lawyer’s Guild representative that visited him at his holding cell last night said he had suffered a broken right arm as well as a “significant scab” on his forehead where he had been struck during his arrest.
Protesters familiar with Gorecki’s case said officers alleged Gorecki had used a bamboo pole against them. His case will be heard at 9 a.m. on Feb. 9 as well.
Michael Patterson was also charged with assault on a police officer, but he was released on Monday afternoon. Patterson said he was charged with attempting to punch a police officer.
“Which is ridiculous,” said Patterson when I spoke to him at DC Superior Court, “Why would I try to punch an officer in full riot gear?”
Media representative Sam Jeweler said OccupyDC would issue a statement later today about the brick incident and the treatment of those arrested by the Park Police.
Park Police have not returned a request for comment.
Link to the full police report regarding the bottle incident: http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/80709522?access_key=key-11laj2rj7pck88lh9fds
