Two Buffalo, New York, police officers are now facing criminal charges in connection with the graphic caught-on-video shove of a 75-year-old man during a protest, a law enforcement source told ABC News.Charges against the officer will not be unsealed until after their arraignment on Saturday, according to the law enforcement source.The Thursday protest at Niagara Square had less than 20 demonstrators and several members of Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team, officials said.An elderly man falls after appearing to be shoved by riot police during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Buffalo, New York, U.S. June 4, 2020 in this still image taken from video.An elderly man falls after appearing to be shoved by riot police during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Buffalo, New York, U.S. June 4, 2020 in this still image taken from video.Wbfo/VIA Reuters TV
One of the protesters, a 75-year-old man was seen on video walking in the direction of the crowd of uniformed officers when two shoved him.MORE: Graphic video shows Buffalo police pushing man during protest
The man fell flat onto his back and bumped the back of his head on the concrete, video shows. The sound of the man's head hitting the ground silenced the crowd, according to the video.A trail of blood can be seen seeping from the head of the motionless man as several officers walked by him.Another officer who went to aid the bleeding man was pushed by fellow officers, the video shows.In this image from video provided by WBFO, a Buffalo police officer appears to shove a man who walked up to police Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y.In this image from video provided by WBFO, a Buffalo police officer appears to shove a man who walked up to police Thursday, June 4, 2020, in Buffalo, N.Y.Mike Desmond/WBFO via AP
The spokesperson for the city and police department, Mike DeGeorge, initially said in a statement that the man "tripped and fell.""Once the department became aware of additional video from the scene, they immediately opened an investigation," DeGeorge told ABC News on Thursday.MORE: Buffalo police officers suspended after shoving 75-year-old protester
Both officers were suspended and the Erie County District Attorney John Flynn launched an investigation.The police union opposed the suspensions and in response 57 officers on the emergency team resigned from their positions, but will remain on the force.The county executive for the area said at a press conference on Friday that Flynn had a "history of prosecuting officers who break the law, I trust him to do the same in this matter."
Source : abcnews.go.com
Source : abcnews.go.com