We Tracked What Happens to Police After They Use Force on Protesters

These 68 videos show clear apparent instances of police officers escalating violence during protests. Here’s what we learned about each case.

Zipporah Osei, Mollie Simon, Moiz Syed, Lucas Waldron, July 29, 2020. This page is no longer being updated as of June 17, 2021.

This story contains images of police brutality.

As protests erupted around the country in late May 2020 in response to the killing in police custody of George Floyd, police departments seemed to respond with more violence. In the ensuing weeks, hundreds of videos of police interactions with protesters surfaced on Twitter and other social media sites, often drawing outrage and, in some cases, swift disciplinary and legal action.

ProPublica wanted to find out what happens after these moments are caught on tape. We culled hundreds of videos to find those with the clearest examples of officers apparently using a disproportionate level of force against protesters and reached out to 40 law enforcement agencies about the 68 incidents below. For each incident, we inquired about any disciplinary action, investigations and whether the department would disclose the officer or officers involved.

These cases show the complexity and difficulty of investigating and disciplining police officers for alleged misconduct, even when actions were captured on video.

After nearly a year, we are publishing a final update on the cases. Departments have disclosed discipline for 10 officers. In 17 cases that we followed, the departments have decided not to discipline the officers or could not identify them. Criminal charges are also pending against 11 officers, including some who have already faced internal discipline.

Here’s what we learned about each case. | Related: Few Cops We Found Using Force on George Floyd Protesters Are Known to Have Faced Discipline →

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Disciplined:

Police Department

Atlanta Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

Atlanta, GA

Officer(s) involved

Senior Police Officer Miguel Lugo

What happened

An officer pushes a bicycle into a protester and knocks her over.

What else we know

The department’s Bicycle Response Team was present on the scene because members saw a patrol vehicle attempting to drive down Centennial Olympic Park Drive become “surrounded by protestors who were blocking his progress,” according to a statement from the police provided by Sgt. John Chafee. Lugo “used his bicycle to create distance between him, the patrol vehicle and a protestor that he had previously asked to move back,” Chafee said. The protester yells “don’t touch me” before she is pushed with the bicycle. “Officers are trained to use their bicycles in this manner when attempting to clear an area of uncooperative individuals,” said Chafee, who provided Lugo’s body-worn camera footage of the incident. After the protester was pushed down, another woman pushed Lugo to the ground. He was taken to a hospital for minor injuries. Lugo has been with the Atlanta Police Department since 2005 and had one sustained finding against him in 2012 for not conforming to directives, which ended with an oral admonishment, according to his disciplinary history. Lugo did not respond to an emailed request for comment in July 2020.

Miguel Lugo Disciplinary File

Source: Uploaded to Twitter by @Brittm_tv

Police Department

Fort Wayne Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

Fort Wayne, IN

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

After a confrontation with an officer, a protester turns and walks away but then pauses and holds up her phone. The officer pepper-sprays her twice, directly in the face.

What else we know

The internal review into the incident was completed, but because litigation has been filed, “now anything related to the protest cannot be produced, until that litigation is over,” a spokesperson for the department said on May 28, 2021. While the department did not say which lawsuit was preventing the release of information, in response to a suit over the use of chemical agents the city denied “that all of the protestors on May 29, 2020 were peacefully protesting and further specifically alleges that many were violating the law.” No law enforcement officers had been charged criminally following the protests in Fort Wayne, the chief of staff for the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office said on May 24, 2021.

Source: @kaceebabee via Twitter

Police Department

Houston Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

Houston, TX

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

A mounted police officer tramples a protester with a horse.

What else we know

The Houston Police department said in a tweet on May 30, 2020, that it was aware of the video and was reviewing the circumstances behind the incident. Police Chief Art Acevedo said at a press conference that the department would also be reviewing body cameras worn by officers on the scene. When asked for more information about the scope of the investigation, a representative of the department would not comment beyond what had been posted on social media. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner apologized in a Twitter thread to the woman who was trampled, writing, “What happened with mounted patrol should not have happened and for that please accept my apology.” In January 2021, the woman who was trampled filed a civil suit against the city. The department declined to comment on the incident because of the litigation. In its response to the suit, the city denied negligence.

Source: @vikthewild via Twitter

Police Department

Louisville Metro Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

Louisville, KY

Officer(s) involved

Officer Dusten Dean

What happened

An officer shoots at a reporter and cameraman for WAVE 3 News who are broadcasting live. According to the reporter, Kaitlin Rust, she was shot with pepper balls.

What else we know

The Louisville Metro Police Department said in September 2020 that the officer had been “placed on paid administrative reassignment.” And that remained his status as of May 2021. In February 2021, local media identified the officer as Dusten Dean; Dean did not respond to a request for comment in March 2021. The LMPD had an open investigation into the incident as of May 27, 2021. The department had originally declined to name the officer involved, citing two Kentucky laws. “The premature disclosure of the requested records would harm the ongoing investigation and potential prosecution by identifying witnesses not otherwise known and tipping them off to the direction of the ongoing investigation, impact witness recollection of the incident, and taint the jury pool by permitting the ‘case’ be tried in the court of public opinion rather than in court with the benefit of procedural and evidentiary rules,” Sgt. Lamont Washington said in an email in July 2020. In a statement on the WAVE 3 website, the station’s general manager condemned the officer’s actions, writing, “There is simply no justification for the Louisville police to wantonly open fire, even with pepper balls, on any journalists under any circumstances.”

Source: Wave3 News

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer in the passenger seat of a patrol car opens the door while the car is moving to hit a protester standing in the bicycle lane.

What else we know

The officer involved was identified internally and placed on modified duty, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said in June 2020. The Internal Affairs Bureau concluded its investigation and referred the case to the Department Advocate for disciplinary action. When asked for an update on the case in March 2021, the department referred ProPublica to its newly public disciplinary database but did not provide a name to search in the database. The department did not respond to a request for an update in May 2021.

Source: @NickAtNews via Twitter

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Yes

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Officer Vincent D’Andraia

What happened

An officer pushes a protester into a curb.

What else we know

On June 9, 2020, D’Andraia was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, menacing and harassment by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. D’Andraia was suspended without pay following the incident and entered a not guilty plea. As of June 16, 2021, he was listed as an active officer with the quartermaster section, which handles the department’s supplies, according to the NYPD’s new officer database. D’Andraia’s next court appearance was scheduled for Sept. 10, 2021. Records provided by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the oversight committee that investigates allegations of police misconduct, show that there have been 11 allegations of misconduct against D’Andraia since he joined the NYPD in 2015. Three allegations of force were unsubstantiated, and one was dismissed after the alleged victim was uncooperative. In 2019, he was exonerated of three allegations of abuse of authority during vehicle stops. A supervisor who was on the scene during the May 29, 2020, protest incident was also investigated by the NYPD and was transferred, according to a statement from NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea. According to Shea, both cases were referred to the internal department court for disciplinary action, however, as of June 4, 2021, D’Andraia’s officer profile with the department did not list any discipline. Dounya Zayer, the protester involved in the incident, filed a civil lawsuit in December 2020. In an answer filed to her complaint, the city’s counsel stated, “Any injury alleged to have been sustained resulted from plaintiff’s own culpable or negligent conduct and/or the culpable or negligent conduct of others and was not the proximate result of any act of defendant.” D’Andraia acted “reasonably and in good faith,” according to a filing by his attorney in response to Zayer’s suit.

CCRB Allegation History for Vincent D'Andraia

Source: @JasonLemon via Twitter

Police Department

San Jose Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

San Jose, CA

Officer(s) involved

Officer Jared Yuen

What happened

An officer yells “shut up, bitch!” at a protester before reaching around another officer to point his weapon. The line of police then rushes toward the protesters.

What else we know

Yuen’s actions remained under investigation as of May 24, 2021, and he remained employed by the department, Sgt. Christian Camarillo said. “I’m not happy with his actions, and I’m sure if Jared was sitting here he’d be embarrassed as well, but I will tell you, I know Jared, and he’s a good kid who made a mistake, who let his emotions get the better of him,” then-San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said after the incident. “He has put his life on the line for this police department many an occasion, and so we’ll take all of that into consideration.” The chief, who took over as chief of the Dallas Police Department in 2021, later apologized for sounding “cavalier” about Yuen’s actions. Yuen did not have any publicly available misconduct records. Only certain records of police misconduct are available in California, including those for incidents involving deadly force, discharge of a firearm, “great bodily injury” and those investigations that result in sustained findings. Yuen did not respond to requests for comment by phone and email in July 2020.

Source: @junkieanteater via Twitter

335

Police Department

San Jose Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

San Jose, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer shoots Derrick Sanderlin in the groin while Sanderlin holds his hands in the air.

What else we know

When officers started to shoot rubber bullets at protesters, Sanderlin, who has volunteered as a police anti-bias trainer, walked into the view of the officers with his hands raised. He said he asked the officers to “please stop doing this.” At first, Sanderlin thought officers were backing off, but then one shot him in the groin. Sanderlin was among a group of plaintiffs who filed a civil suit against the city in July 2020. But at the time it was filed, Sanderlin still did not know exactly which officer’s shot had hit him. In August 2020, the city filed a motion to dismiss the suit. “If someone else who wasn’t a police officer did the same thing, they would be held accountable,” Sanderlin said in June 2020. “All allegations, complaints, or concerns of the public will be taken seriously,” the San Jose Police Department told ProPublica in a statement. The videos documented in this project “are currently part of an extensive Internal Affairs investigation,” it added. The incident remained under investigation as of May 24, 2021, Sgt. Christian Camarillo said.

San Jose Civil Rights Lawsuit

Source: ABC7 via Twitter

400

Police Department

San Jose Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

San Jose, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police shoot rounds at protesters from close range outside of the City Hall.

What else we know

The San Jose Police Department said in a statement: “All allegations, complaints, or concerns of the public will be taken seriously. The links you provided are currently part of an extensive Internal Affairs investigation.” The incident remained under investigation as of May 24, 2021, Sgt. Christian Camarillo said.

Source: @venomwithinher via Twitter

355

Police Department

Seattle Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

Seattle, WA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officers restrain and beat a protester.

What else we know

Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability completed an investigation into this incident and partially sustained the allegations of misconduct. The OPA recommended discipline — a written reprimand — for one officer for striking a protester with “six to eight punches over six seconds.” The OPA cleared the other officer in the case, saying his use of force was “reasonable, necessary, and proportional under the circumstances.” The OPA received over 19,000 complaints about Seattle police misconduct at protests, leading to 141 investigations, the outcomes of which can be viewed on the department’s demonstration complaint tracker. The corresponding case number for this incident was 2020OPA-0323, according to Anne Bettesworth, the deputy director of public affairs for OPA.

OPA-0323 Closed Case Summary

Source: @itsadumbwebsite via Twitter

Police Department

Atlanta Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Yes

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Atlanta, GA

Officer(s) involved

Investigator Ivory Streeter, Investigator Mark Gardner, Sgt. Lonnie Hood Jr., Officer Willie Sauls, Officer Armon Jones, Officer Roland Claud

What happened

Two college students are tased while in their own vehicle.

What else we know

The Atlanta Police Department initially fired Streeter, Gardner, Hood and Jones, and the former Fulton County district attorney, Paul Howard, announced on June 2, 2020, that he was filing charges against all six officers involved in the encounter. On June 8, 2020, Streeter and Gardner filed a lawsuit in the Fulton County Superior Court calling for their jobs back and claiming they were not given due process. On Feb. 1, 2021, Atlanta’s Civil Service Board ruled in favor of Streeter and Gardner and revoked their dismissals. The officers had argued “that their use of force was proper and in compliance with the law, the policies of the Atlanta Police Department, prevailing standards of law enforcement, and the training provided to them through the City of Atlanta Police Department and the State of Georgia,” according to their lawsuit. As of May 26, 2021, the Police Department said the investigation into the incident remained open and Gardner and Streeter were on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the criminal matter. Sauls and Claud remained active with the department as of May 2021, a spokesperson said. The Atlanta Police Department has released disciplinary records and body-worn camera footage for all six officers involved. ProPublica reached out to the officers in July 2020: Hood declined to comment and referred us to the International Brotherhood of Police. The union didn’t return a request for comment. Attorneys for Streeter and Gardner did not return a request for comment. Sauls, Jones and Claud did not return requests for comment. The cases remained pending as of June 17, 2021, according to the court.

Atlanta Officer History Files

Source: CBS46

175

Police Department

Austin Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Austin, TX

Officer(s) involved

Officer Nicholas Gebhart

What happened

Police shoot teenage protester in head with “less lethal” beanbag round.

What else we know

Sixteen-year-old Brad Levi Ayala was hospitalized following the incident, according to local news reports. Gebhart was named as the officer involved in this incident, Texas Monthly reported. He didn’t respond to a request for comment in 2020. Gebhart was on regular duty status as of March 19, 2021, and the investigation was “waiting for prosecutorial review” according to the Police Department. The department did not respond to a request for an update in May 2021.

Source: Tribune of the People

Police Department

Denver Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Denver, CO

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Live video from station FOX31 captured the moment an officer appears to push a person toward an open flame.

What else we know

“While the Denver Police Internal Affairs team investigated this incident, a resident never came forward to make a complaint,” a Police Department spokesperson said on Feb. 26, 2021, and reconfirmed on May 27, 2021. The department said it had “been unable to identify the officer(s),” but if that changes its internal affairs unit would reopen the case.

Source: Fox31

Police Department

Detroit Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Detroit, MI

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer shoves a man to the ground.

What else we know

In a tweet acknowledging the incident, which happened just after midnight, the department said it was under investigation and was taking the incident “very seriously.” As of July 15, 2020, both officers had been identified and were “restricted from working normal patrol related duties pending the outcome of the investigation,” Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood said. Kirkwood declined to name the officers involved. The department did not respond to a request for an update in June 2021.

Source: Cassidy Mace via Facebook

Police Department

Grand Rapids Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Grand Rapids, MI

Officer(s) involved

Officer Philip Reinink

What happened

Officers pepper-spray a man before shooting him in the face with a chemical round.

What else we know

Chris Becker, the Kent County prosecutor, issued a five-page statement on June 26, 2020, on the incident and why he chose not to file any charges, based on body camera footage, cellphone videos and officer and witness statements. When Reinink shot at Sean Hart, he thought he was using a “muzzle blast round” but actually had a “Spede-Heat” round in his weapon, which is not designed for close-range situations, Becker said in his review. The Spede-Heat is a round that burns continuously for 20 to 40 seconds, according to the manufacturer, Defense Technology. Becker considered charging Reinink with assault and reckless use of a firearm but declined to pursue either, arguing that Reinkin had acted in self-defense. Even if he couldn’t make a self-defense argument, Becker said it would be “virtually impossible” to proceed with any charges against Reinkin because of a 1931 Michigan statute that says officers assisting with the dispersal of an unlawful assembly or riot “shall be held guiltless and fully justified in law” in the case of death or injury among those being dispersed. Becker also declined to charge Hart, the man shot by the officer, and said his only violent action was revving his Suburban when leaving the scene, causing officers to feel threatened. According to Becker’s review, Hart had a previous encounter with police before the videotaped incident in which an officer pointed a gun at him while telling him to move his car. Hart filed a complaint with the Police Department over the incident. While the prosecutor declined to file charges, Police Chief Eric Payne called the incident “concerning” and acknowledged that a mistake had been made with the rounds. On July 28, 2020, Payne announced that Reinink had been disciplined with two days without pay, which had already been served. Payne said Reinink had “expressed remorse throughout this investigation and review.” Reinink did not return requests for comment in July 2020.

Source: @levelheaded6 via Instagram

Police Department

Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Yes

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Kansas City, MO

Officer(s) involved

Officer Taylor Hall, Officer James Oakes, Officer N. McQuillen

What happened

A protester yells at a line of police from across the street before they walk over, arrest him and pepper-spray him and a woman next to him.

What else we know

On Aug. 10, 2020, Tarence Maddox, the man arrested on the video, filed a lawsuit against the officers on behalf of himself and his daughter, who was also pepper-sprayed. After spraying the two, the officers “continued to spray their MK-9 pepper foggers into the crowd like they were spraying silly string at a birthday party,” the suit alleges. Missouri Assistant Attorney General Diane Peters filed a response on behalf of the officers, denying that the “use of force was without cause,” and claiming “official immunity” because the officers’ actions “involved discretion and were performed in good faith.” Tom Porto, Maddox’s attorney, said he did not file a complaint with the Police Department because, “I have zero trust in that process.” A jury trial in the case is scheduled for January 2022. In justifying the use of pepper spray, the department said the man did not resist arrest, “however the associated response from the crowd was aggressive and violent by throwing various objects and physically interfering with the arrest, which is also a crime for which they were not arrested for at that time, that is what led to the officers response with pepper spray.” On June 18, 2020, the City Council passed an ordinance clearing charges for all of the individuals arrested in three protest areas from May 29 to June 2. When we asked for any police narrative written about the arrest in the video, the department said that it would not have any such document because of the council vacating the charge. “So it is as though it never happened,” the department said. However, Porto provided ProPublica with a copy of the Police Department’s incident report, which stated that Maddox “was given several verbal commands to stay out of the street and return to the sidewalk, which he refused to comply.” On March 12, 2021, a grand jury in Jackson County indicted McQuillen on a misdemeanor count of assault. According to the indictment, he “recklessly caused physical injury to the juvenile when he sprayed chemicals into her face during the protest in the Country Club Plaza on May 30, 2020.” McQuillen did not reply to a request for comment in March 2021. The other officers did not respond to an emailed request for comment in September 2020. Hall and Oakes were both involved in a shooting incident in 2016 that left several people injured, as reported by The Kansas City Star.

Kansas City Incident Report

Source: @Elise_Villa via Twitter

1003

Police Department

Los Angeles Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Los Angeles, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Three officers hold a woman on the ground while another comes over and places his knee on her. A fifth officer pulls the officer off the woman’s neck.

What else we know

An LAPD spokesperson said the department was “aware of those videos” sent by ProPublica and directed us to a June 10, 2020, press release that said it “continues to investigate allegations of misconduct, violations of Department policy, and excessive force during the recent civil unrest.” The department has assigned 40 investigators to look at complaints. “We will look into every complaint thoroughly and hold every officer accountable for their actions,” the statement said. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the office would review all cases involving police officer misconduct, “that are presented by law enforcement for filing consideration.” He said he could not comment on “which if any cases have been presented for our review.” According to the LAPD, 10 employees had been assigned to non-field duties as of July 14, 2020. The LAPD declined to say whether the officers involved in the video were among those reassigned. On June 8, 2020, the LAPD announced a moratorium on using the carotid restraint control hold, pending a review by the Board of Police Commissioners. On May 25, 2021, a spokesperson for the Police Department said he could not release information on how the case was adjudicated. The spokesperson sent a letter noting that 210 complaints, including 73 use of force complaints, were ultimately investigated following the protests.

Source: We don’t know the original source of this video.

Police Department

Louisville Metro Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Louisville, KY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Plainclothes police officers pulled up to a protester stockpile of supplies and confiscated waters and smashed milk jugs.

What else we know

The Police Department said no investigation had been initiated into the incident as of July 15, 2020, and, “We will not be naming any of the officers.” During a press briefing the day of the incident, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer justified the action. “Interspersed with that water and milk were other materials; there were mason jars full of flammable material, other materials that could not be identified yet that could have been used to be harmful to other protesters or been used to be harmful to law enforcement,” Fischer said. “The best decision for the safety of everybody was to remove those materials.” There is no evidence from the video that any supplies besides water and milk were present, and the throwing of the supplies is inconsistent with the mayor’s claim that there were flammable substances. The mayor’s office did not return a request for comment in July 2020.

Source: @nataliealund via Twitter

Police Department

Unclear

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officers patrolling a neighborhood yell at a woman standing on her porch to go back inside before firing paint rounds at her home. An officer yells, “light ’em up” as they fire.

What else we know

A spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department said the video was “not our agency.” The Minnesota State Patrol said, “It is unclear from the video which agency these officers are from.” When ProPublica followed up with the State Patrol again in March 2021, a spokesperson said the video was reviewed and “the officer who fired the marking round was not a State Patrol trooper.” When asked which agency they were from, the spokesperson said it was “unclear.” The night of the incident, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted, “We are bringing the full force of goodness and righteousness to restore order on our streets tonight.”

Source: @tkerssen via Twitter

Police Department

Minneapolis Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Despite showing a press credential, VICE News correspondent Michael Anthony Adams is forced to the ground and pepper-sprayed at close range.

What else we know

When asked about three use of force incidents in Minneapolis, a spokesperson for the Police Department said, “Every use of force is being evaluated.” He declined to comment on them individually, citing internal reviews. As of May 26, 2021, the incident’s review remained ongoing with the city's Office of Police Conduct Review.

Source: Michael Anthony Adams

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer in an NYPD vehicle drives into a crowd of protesters.

What else we know

Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the incident was under investigation, but he also said that the officers may not have had other options. “I’m not going to blame officers who were trying to deal with an absolutely impossible situation,” he said the night of the incident. “The folks who were converging on that police car did the wrong thing to begin with, and they created an untenable situation.” The department did not respond to ProPublica’s most recent request for an update on the incident in May 2021.

Source: @chieffymac11 via Twitter

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer shoves a protester to the ground.

What else we know

Investigations into police misconduct at protests were “progressing as fast as possible in the middle of a riot situation,” said police Commissioner Dermot Shea at a press conference on June 4, 2020, during the height of protests. Several officer suspensions would likely follow investigations, the commissioner said at the time Weeks after the protests, on June 22, 2020, the commissioner spoke at state Attorney General Letitia James’ public hearing on police and public interactions and defended his department. “As the leader of this agency, I will affirm that unlawful activity and violations of our standards of conduct and regulations will be addressed — and we have already begun to do so,” he said. “However, I strongly push back against the notion that we are a violent, racist and lawless agency, like some have recklessly alleged. In fact, all of the critical data demonstrates the opposite — that the department is the most restrained, diverse and, dare I say, progressive police agency in the country.” The department did not respond to a request for an update on the case in May 2021.

Source: @crankberries via Twitter

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Officer Michael Sher

What happened

An officer removes a protester’s mask then sprays him in the face.

What else we know

The officer involved was suspended without pay. NYPD Internal Affairs concluded its investigation on June 5, 2020, and referred the case to the Department Advocate for further disciplinary action. The department released body camera footage from the incident once the investigation was concluded. “I took the guy’s goggles, I ripped the shit off and I used it,” Officer Michael Sher said in the body camera footage. He did not return a request for comment in 2020. As of June 16, 2021, Sher was listed as an active officer on the NYPD’s officer profile database. The database did not show any discipline associated with the incident.

Source: @AJRupchandani via Twitter

260

Police Department

Phoenix Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

Phoenix, AZ

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

In this first-person video, Johnathan Raymond Kantner is walking before he is taken down by a police officer. He yells that he was “going home.” The officer appears to continue pushing him even once he is on the ground and yells for him to “stop resisting” although no resistance is visible on the video.

What else we know

The Phoenix Police Department said Kantner was arrested for “refusing to leave the area” after police declared an unlawful assembly. “There is no sure way to control the actions of a large group of people who make a conscious decision to ignore the repeated announcements and direction by law enforcement officials,” the department said in a statement. There is no internal investigation into the case, and Kantner had not contacted the department’s Professional Standards Bureau as of May 27, 2021, said Mercedes Fortune, the public information sergeant for the department.

Source:

Police Department

Salt Lake City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Salt Lake City, UT

Officer(s) involved

Officer Val Brown

What happened

An officer uses a shield to push an elderly man until he falls to the ground.

What else we know

The officer involved, Val Brown, was identified internally and placed on modified duty the day after this incident, according to a representative of the department. On March 4, 2021, a spokesperson said the investigation into the incident had been completed and the officer was returned to full-duty status. In response to a public records request, the department released a letter indicating that the officer had one allegation of unnecessary use of force sustained against him and received “coaching and counseling” as a result. Brown did not respond to ProPublica’s requests for comment in May 2021.

Discipline Letter

Source: ABC4 Utah

241

Police Department

Austin Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Austin, TX

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police open fire as a group carries over an injured protester for medical attention.

What else we know

On June 26, 2020, the department released the names of five officers they said may have been involved in injuring protesters during demonstrations. All five officers were placed on administrative leave while the investigations were taking place, according to a statement from the department. However, the department didn’t specify which incidents the officers were involved in. The department did not respond to a request for an update on the incident in May 2021.

Source: @DavidFr31601156 via Twitter

103

Police Department

Boston Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Boston, MA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officers repeatedly beat a man with batons while taking him into custody.

What else we know

The department said there was an “open investigation” into the incident but could not provide an estimated timeline for it, saying there is “no cookie cutter template.” Additional video shows the same man throwing an object toward police before he is taken into custody. The investigation remained open as of June 4, 2021.

Source: ABC5 WCVB

1002

Police Department

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Compton, CA

Officer(s) involved

Deputy Sheriff David Navarrete, Deputy Sheriff Edgar Cuevas, Deputy Sheriff Edwin Barajas

What happened

Three officers beat Dalvin Price while placing him under arrest. One officer repeatedly knees Price.

What else we know

“The incident was a reported use of force by the involved deputies, which is currently being investigated,” the department said of the video. “All use of force incidents are thoroughly investigated, and the department will examine the tactics, policies and procedures at the conclusion of the investigation.” A department spokesperson said the officers remain on duty. The incident remained under investigation as of Dec. 9, 2021. The department did not respond to a request for an update in May 2021. “Due to the complexity, administrative investigations can take up to a year to complete,” the spokesperson had said initially. On Feb. 2, 2021, Price filed a civil lawsuit against the department and three officers. The department declined to comment on the pending litigation. In an answer to the suit filed in April 2021, county attorneys said the force used during the incident “was reasonable under the circumstances.” “The actual facts of this incident, particularly the genesis, are contrary to those alleged by Mr. Price. We look forward to the full and complete story of this event unfolding in the proper forum, a courtroom,” said Adam Marangell, an attorney representing Cuevas and Navarrete in the departmental investigation. Attorney Tom Yu, who has represented Barajas for the investigation into the incident, said that from his perspective, the use of force in the incident was “completely reasonable and justified under the law.” No charges have been filed against Price.

Dalvin Price Complaint

Source: @Reallilmartin via Twitter

Police Department

Erie Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Erie, PA

Officer(s) involved

Sgt. Marc Nelson

What happened

Officer kicks a protester in the chest while the person sits on the ground.

What else we know

The officers involved were placed on “desk assignment” following the incident, according to chief of police Dan Spizarny. An investigation found that the level of force used by the officer followed approved police procedure, but Erie Mayor Joe Schember said “that the manner in which it was applied by the officer was inappropriate.” As a result, the officer who kicked the protester was suspended without pay for three days and placed on desk duty until he completed sensitivity training. The city will be revising police procedures based on reform intiviates, according to the mayor. The department wouldn't name the officer in the video, but a lawsuit filed by the protester shown in the video names Sgt. Marc Nelson as the officer. Schember and Police Chief Dan Spizarny are also named in the lawsuit, which remained open as of June 16, 2021. Neither Nelson, Schember nor Spizarny responded to requests for comment in 2020. “As part of the investigation I learned that this is a veteran officer who has no prior complaints and has never exhibited any kind of behavior that warranted disciplinary action,” Schember said at a press conference on June 15, 2020. “He is a well-respected, upstanding member of the community.”

Silbaugh v. Nelson et al

Source: @the7goonies via Twitter

Police Department

Fort Lauderdale Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Yes

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Officer(s) involved

Officer Steven Pohorence

What happened

Officer shoves a protester who has her hands in the air.

What else we know

The Broward County state attorney charged Pohorence with battery on June 30, 2020, and he entered a not guilty plea on July 29, 2020. The case remained ongoing as of June 7, 2021. The first-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum punishment of one year in jail. In an October 2019 performance evaluation, Pohorence was rated “above satisfactory,” but the report noted he needed “to work on his interactions with citizens and improve upon his delivery of information.” He was sent to “mandatory training to improve his interactions with the public.” The department released seven videos of Pohorence from previous use of force incidents and said that two were “of concern.” Former Police Chief Rick Maglione moved Pohorence from administrative leave to administrative leave without pay following the announcement of the battery charge. Pohorence remained on leave without pay as of Aug. 11, 2020. “At the conclusion of the process being led by the state attorney’s office, our office of internal affairs will complete an administrative investigation to determine if any departmental policies were violated,” Maglione said. The Fort Lauderdale city manager replaced Maglione with an interim chief on July 9, 2020. The mayor cited a need for a “fresh set of eyes” and “swift action to generate public confidence” in announcing the change. In a video statement, the president of the Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police, Shane Calvey, said the video of Pohorence pushing the protester is a snapshot in time and “not the entire timeline.” His attorney, Michael Dutko, did not return a request for comment in July 2020. No departmental discipline had been issued for the incident as of May 24, 2021, a spokesperson said, but Pohorence remained on administrative leave without pay.

Pohorence Employee File and Internal Affairs Summary

Source: @_popaboywillie via Twitter

111

Police Department

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Yes

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Officer(s) involved

Sgt. David Kinsey, Officer Conrad Simpson, Officer Jonathan Horlock, Officer Nathaniel Schauwecker

What happened

Police hit Ivoré Westfield with pepper balls and strike her with batons.

What else we know

The four officers involved in the incident, whom the Police Department identified in August 2020, were placed on administrative duty during the investigation, but Kinsey and Simpson were returned to “full-duty status,” the department said on March 1, 2021. The department did not respond to a request for an update in May 2021. On Aug. 12, 2020, the Marion County prosecutor, Ryan Mears, announced that a grand jury had indicted Horlock and Schauwecker on multiple felony charges including battery and official misconduct. Horlock was also indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Both officers were scheduled for a jury trial on June 28, 2021, and no pleas had been entered as of June 3, 2021. On June 26, 2020, Westfield and the other woman in the video, Rachel Harding, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the four officers. According to the suit, Harding and Westfield were arrested for violating the curfew and were initially “passive and cooperative” when handcuffed, until an officer forced Westfield’s “arms upward behind her back into an unnatural position causing extreme pain.” When she pulled away, she was hit with pepper balls and then beaten with batons, causing swelling, bruising and welts, according to the suit. Harding was then pushed down after she tried to film the incident. In an answer to the suit, the officers said they had acted “reasonably under the circumstances” and that any injury to Harding and Westfield “resulted from their own actions.” Mears declined to file charges against the women, who were held at the county jail until June 2, 2020. The officers did not respond to requests for comment in August 2020. Only Kinsey had been previously disciplined by the department. He received a written reprimand and a one-day suspension in 2004, according to his personnel file. On Feb. 23, 2021, an independent review panel tasked by the mayor to look at the protests released a 44-page report with six recommendations for the Police Department. The report said the department “appears to have relied on tactics designed to control disorder rather than facilitate protected speech.”

Officer Indictments

Source: WISH-TV

300

Police Department

Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Lincoln, NE

Officer(s) involved

Capt. Ben Houchin

What happened

A group of protesters begins walking away from an officer who yells “go now” before grabbing one of the women and saying she is under arrest. The officers begin arresting people and in the process fall over those already on the ground.

What else we know

On June 1, 2020, the sheriff’s office tweeted that it was “aware of concerns regarding the level of force used by a deputy involved in a curfew related arrest.” On June 15, 2020, Sheriff Terry T. Wagner said the use of force in the video was “lawful and followed our policy.” He also shared two aerial videos of the incident. While the sheriff had initially expressed concerns about the video, after releasing the additional footage he said he was ashamed of that reaction. “Shame on me, and shame on all of the people who watched the video, passed judgment on what they thought they saw, prompting emails and calls demanding the deputy be fired for his actions.” The videos he shared still show a woman being grabbed although she is not arrested. The sheriff said the original video shared online did not show “the ‘F--- You’ response from the protesters to the deputy, which does not indicate he was going to gain voluntary compliance.” Capt. Ben Houchin is the officer seen yelling “Go” on the video, a heavily redacted report provided to ProPublica in response to a records request confirmed. Houchin did not respond to a request for comment. “Effecting an arrest for someone resisting or trying to evade arrest is not pretty. Quick, decisive action during the arrest process is necessary to prevent injury to the arrestee and the officers. This isn’t like a game of tag, where the person tagged is told they are out and walks over to a patrol vehicle to be transported to jail,” Wagner wrote.

Lancaster Case Report

Source: Chris Dunker/Lincoln Journal Star

1001

Police Department

Arkansas State Police

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Little Rock, AR

Officer(s) involved

Sgt. Ronnie Stewart

What happened

A line of officers shoot projectiles directly at kneeling protesters.

What else we know

As of July 15, 2020, the review process for use of force events at the protests had been completed and the reports had been turned over to the agency’s director, Col. Bill Bryant, spokesman Bill Sadler said. The review did not “result in any internal complaints of policy violation or disciplinary action,” Sadler said. The kneeling protesters were told to disperse when a group behind them “began throwing items at and into the team [of officers],” according to Sgt. Derek A. Nietert’s account from the use of force report. According to multiple reports, Stewart gave the “command to deploy gas and less lethal munitions again to clear the intersection and protect the ERT Team members and the capital building.” There was nothing in the use of force reports that “would cause Col. Bryant to suspect that any policies or procedures were violated,” Sadler said in July 2020. No citizen complaints had been received related to the incident as of March 3, 2021, according to Sadler. Stewart forwarded a request for comment to the department’s public information officer and legal department. “Our employees are prohibited by Department of Public Safety official policy from responding to you or discussing these matters,” the agency’s attorney said.

Use of Force Report

Source: Waltin Zomaya

Police Department

Los Angeles Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Los Angeles, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

A police vehicle pulls into protesters, backs up toward other protesters and then turns and drives away.

What else we know

Brooke Fortson filed a claim for damages and lawsuit with the city, citing bruises across her body and neck and spine injuries from the incident. According to the department, 10 employees had been assigned to non-field duties in the month following the incident. The LAPD declined to say whether the officer driving the car was among those reassigned. As of June 4, 2021, the officer remained listed as a John Doe on Fortson’s lawsuit. On May 25, 2021, a police spokesperson said he could not release information on how the case was adjudicated within the department. But the spokesperson sent a letter noting that 210 complaints, including 73 use of force complaints, were investigated following the protests. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the incident involving Fortson remained under review with that office as of May 25, 2021. In a statement on May 31, 2020, the LAPD said that protesters had thrown objects at the vehicle and that “officers attempted to drive away, when people ran out in front of the cruiser.” Footage from the scene contradicts this claim. The car drives forward into the protesters, who are standing in place before it moves. The department also stated that the person struck “ran away before they could be identified.” In the video, the car turns around and does not stop after running into people. A spokesperson for the department said it has one year to complete a personnel investigation, per California law, and is “making every effort to expedite these investigations.” In an answer to Fortson’s lawsuit over the incident, the city said the “force used against plaintiff, if any, was caused and necessitated by the actions of plaintiff, and was reasonable and necessary for self-defense.”

Brooke Fortson Lawsuit - Complaint and Answer

Source: ABC7

Police Department

Miami-Dade Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Miami, FL

Officer(s) involved

Officer Roberto De la Nuez and Officer Jorge Encinosa

What happened

Officer jumps out of a patrol car and grabs Ariel Alfaro-Fonseca.

What else we know

Alfaro-Fonseca was arrested after “standing in the middle of the roadway” despite a dispersal order, according to a report by the Police Department. But video clearly shows him on a sidewalk. Additionally, the report claims Alfaro-Fonseca and those accompanying him were carrying water bottles. Neither Alfaro-Fonseca nor the other protester in the video have bottles in their hands. Alfaro-Fonseca was initially booked for a curfew violation, but the charge was dropped according to the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Courts documents. The Police Department’s Professional Compliance Bureau confirmed that its investigation had concluded and no discipline had resulted as of May 24, 2021. Both officers were assigned to the Special Patrol Bureau as of that date. The officers did not comment to ProPublica in 2020.

Supervisor's Report of Response to Resistance

Source: Adam Hendel

Police Department

Minneapolis Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police in a moving vehicle pepper-spray protesters who are standing along the interstate.

What else we know

People were scattered along the interstate because a man had driven a tanker toward a group of protesters who were blocking the highway before the pepper spray incident, people tweeted from the scene. A spokesman for the Police Department did not comment on individual cases we asked about but said, “Every use of force is being evaluated.” He added that he would not be able to comment on them, “being that these are internal reviews/investigations,” which remained ongoing as of July 14. The department did not respond to a request for an update in May 2021. The case remained open and under investigation with the city’s Office of Police Conduct Review as of May 26, 2021. That office received approximately 550 formal complaints stemming from the protests.

Source: @keycodez via Twitter

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 30, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officers push a barricade into a crowd of protesters until it falls. One officer jumps over the barricade to grab a protester.

What else we know

Investigations into police misconduct at protests was “progressing as fast as possible in the middle of a riot situation,” said police Commissioner Dermot Shea at a press conference on June 4, 2020, speaking generally about the incidents. Several officer suspensions would likely follow investigations, the commissioner said at the time. On June 22, 2020, the commissioner spoke at state Attorney General Letitia James’ public hearing on police and public interactions and defended his department. “As the leader of this agency, I will affirm that unlawful activity and violations of our standards of conduct and regulations will be addressed — and we have already begun to do so,” he said. “However, I strongly push back against the notion that we are a violent, racist and lawless agency, like some have recklessly alleged. In fact, all of the critical data demonstrates the opposite — that the department is the most restrained, diverse and, dare I say, progressive police agency in the country.” The department did not respond to a request for an update on the case in May 2021.

Source: @letsgomathias via Twitter

Police Department

Richmond Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Richmond, VA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer pepper-sprays into the open window of a person recording from inside their apartment.

What else we know

After the protests, a representative of the department said all uses of force were being investigated but didn’t answer any questions about this specific incident. As of May 25, 2021, the department said it could not comment on the incident “as it is subject to pending litigation.”

Source: Mikhail Smith via Facebook

Police Department

San Francisco Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

San Francisco, CA

Officer(s) involved

Capt. John Ramirez

What happened

Officer shoves a protester standing on a sidewalk in front of a moving patrol vehicle.

What else we know

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office opened a criminal investigation into the incident. That investigation had not yet concluded as of June 16, 2021. The sheriff’s office was also investigating the incident internally, but that will not conclude until after the criminal investigation closes. Ramirez remained employed by the sheriff’s office as of May 2021. He declined by email on July 22, 2020, to comment on the incident.

Source: @caseylc9 via Twitter

1006

Police Department

Seattle Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 31, 2020

Location

Seattle, WA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Multiple officers tackle a protester and punch him while he’s pinned.

What else we know

Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability investigated two allegations of misconduct associated with this incident and classified them as “not sustained.” One allegation was deemed “lawful and proper,” meaning it was consistent with policy, whereas the other was labeled “management action,” meaning the officers’ actions may have been improper but were the result of poor policy or training. On Dec. 22, 2020, the agency published its report on the incident, which states that the protester involved had “made physical contact with virtually all of the officers who passed him,” and that he “intentionally struck the officers.” While OPA did not find discipline for the officer was merited, it said the case raised larger questions about “not whether officers could act but, instead, whether they should have done so.” OPA recommended the department “place more parameters around officer discretion and responses to misdemeanor offenses.” The department had not yet taken action on the recommendation as of June 16, 2021.

OPA-0330 Closed Case Summary

Source: @The_Stepover via Twitter

231

Police Department

Buffalo Police Department, New York State Police

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Buffalo, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police tackle and arrest a man while he’s being interviewed by the press.

What else we know

When asked if the Buffalo Police Department was investigating the incident, Capt. Jeff Rinaldo directed ProPublica to the New York State Police. However, the state police initially said while their department had assisted in the arrest, further questions about the incident should be directed to the Buffalo police. No Buffalo police officers were under investigation in relation to this incident, according to Rinaldo. State police reviewed the arrest and determined that no police policies were violated, Beau Duffy, the director of public information for the department, said in 2020.

Source: WIVB-TV

211

Police Department

Chicago Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Chicago, IL

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer chases after a person, shoves them down and begins to violently hit them.

What else we know

The officer had not been removed from duty as of June 12, 2020, a spokesman from the department said. In a statement, the department said, “We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind and if any wrongdoing is discovered, officers will be held accountable.” According to records from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the investigation into the incident remained open and active as of May 24, 2021. The accused officer remained listed as “unknown.” Neither COPA nor the department provided the officer’s name when asked. COPA launched a data portal related to protest incidents and had 144 open protest-related investigations as of June 3, 2021. Eight officers had been relieved of “police power” as of that date.

Civilian Office of Police Accountability Status Page

Source: Uploaded to Twitter by @TomSchuba

224

Police Department

Colorado Springs Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Officer(s) involved

Officer Robert Comstock (fired pepper balls at Salmons), Officer Christopher Laabs (pushed Salmons to the ground), Detective Andrew Rutter (struck Salmons’ leg), Officer Robert Thymian and Sgt. Keith Wrede

What happened

Multiple officers hit Justin Salmons while restraining him.

What else we know

In response to a public records request from ProPublica, the department released more than 120 pages of officer narrative surrounding Salmons’ arrest. According to the narratives, civilian Justin Salmons cussed at officers, refused to leave an intersection and “made rude gestures towards officers involving his crotch and hands,” and did not comply with an order to get on the ground before the arrest caught on video. The officer who struck Salmons’ leg said he “aimed at his common peroneal nerve to gain compliance.” After the incident, Salmons “exhibited a contusion to his forehead and a laceration to his left forearm.” Salmons told ProPublica he had gone to check on someone whom police had been chasing when officers began shooting pepper balls at him. That made him “supremely angry,” Salmons said. “Police are supposed to protect you.” The Colorado Springs Police Department did not receive any formal citizen complaints about the incident, but because of the “substantial amount of interest” from the public, the department conducted an internal affairs investigation, which concluded in September 2020. The officers were all exonerated for use of force during the arrest, but Thymian and Wrede were both given “verbal counseling” as they did not activate their body cameras. The investigation found Thymian did not knowingly leave his off, whereas Wrede told investigators he “did not have time” to activate it. When asked for comment about the incident in July 2020, the officers deferred to the department’s public information officer. One month after the incident in the video, Sgt. Keith Wrede, one of the officers involved, posted “KILL THEM ALL” on a Facebook livestream of a separate local protest. The post was made under a pseudonym. Following an investigation into the post, Wrede received a 40-hour suspension equating to $2,044 in lost wages. Per the case summary, Wrede "expressed a high level of regret for ever making comments of that nature,” and in an interview he told investigators that he had been listening to Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All” on his ride home from work.

Police Narrative of Justin Salmons Arrest

Source: Camille Parsons

130

Police Department

Omaha Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Omaha, NE

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police kick a protester while arresting him.

What else we know

The Omaha police chief, Todd Schmaderer, ordered an “overall review” of the protest incidents, including the one in the video, according to the department. In October 2020, the department published a report on the protests. It described the incident as “a prime example of how video often only shows a piece of what happened in the situation.” According to the report, an officer and the journalist in the yellow vest “were violently attacked by a protester” and the video starts when another officer is picking her up and moving her “out of the way of the arrest situation.” Overall, the Omaha Police Department reviewed 123 use of force incidents, three of which were deemed “not to be within OPD policy,” and one of which led to a termination.

Source: @reecereports via Twitter

116

Police Department

Philadelphia Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer forces a baton into the hand of a protester as he arrests him then punches him.

What else we know

The officer involved in this incident remained on active duty following the incident, according to a representative of the department. The department said it wouldn’t be identifying officers before an investigation concluded. The department did not comment on this specific incident when asked for an update in May 2021.

Source: @mkultranews via Twitter

294

Police Department

Philadelphia Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Dismissed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Officer(s) involved

Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna

What happened

Officer beats protesters with baton and tackles one to the ground.

What else we know

District Attorney Larry Krasner charged Bologna with aggravated assault on June 5, but a judge dismissed the charges on Jan. 15, 2021. Krasner’s office told ProPublica in May 2021 that it planned to refile the charges. Because Bologna was charged criminally, police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw suspended him for 30 days after the incident with the intent to fire him at the end of his suspension. John McNesby, a Philadelphia police union leader, voiced his support for Bologna after the incident and has created a T-shirt for sale in support of the suspended officer. Bologna is also involved in another incident on this list. Bologna’s lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., didn’t return a request for comment in March 2021.

Source: @Terrence_STR via Twitter

350

Police Department

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Pittsburgh, PA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer pepper-sprays kneeling protesters.

What else we know

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is “in possession of a much more comprehensive video of this truncated version currently circulating on social media,” according to Cara Cruz, the deputy public information officer. At the end of May 2020, the department, in partnership with local agencies and members of the community, formed an accountability task force. The committee is investigating all instances of crime related to the protests. As of May 24, 2021, a bureau of police spokesperson said they had no comment on the incident due to pending litigation.

Source: @messiest_headd via Twitter

215

Police Department

Sacramento Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Sacramento, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officers place Tyzhon Johnson in a chokehold while he repeatedly hits a wall in a tap-out motion.

What else we know

The Police Department said its officers saw Johnson “actively looting a business.” In an interview with local news station KTXL, Johnson denied this and said he had been waiting outside a P.F. Chang’s restaurant when officers pulled up and he tried getting away. According to the department’s account: “A foot pursuit ensued where the suspect then began to resist officers. A large crowd began to gather and became hostile towards officers. Johnson was arrested on looting charges and resisting arrest.” As of March 3, 2021, a spokesperson told ProPublica the department had “finished its review of that incident and has determined that there were no policy violations surrounding that arrest.” However, the department has changed its policy to prohibit “the carotid control hold, or any other type of neck restraint.”

Sacramento Incident Report

Source: @reereeisme65 via Twitter

Police Department

Seattle Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Seattle, WA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer rides his bicycle up to a protester then pulls him into a headlock and drags him to the ground.

What else we know

On Dec. 23, 2020, Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability issued a report on its investigation into the incident. OPA investigated the officer involved for six allegations of misconduct and found the allegations “not sustained” in all cases. The agency found the officer had probable cause to make an arrest and the right to use force. However, the agency also suggested the Police Department “modify its policies to place more parameters around officer discretion with misdemeanor offenses and to ensure that officers are balancing the possible escalation of tensions within the crowd against the need to make the arrest.” According to the OPA’s report, the officer involved completed a use of force report 20 days after the incident, after seeing video of the moment circulating on Twitter. OPA said it did not believe this was an intentional concealment but rather a misinterpretation of force reporting requirements. OPA referred the officer to his commander to “review with him the force classifications and associated reporting requirements.” In response to the incident, OPA recommended the department “place more parameters around officer discretion and responses to misdemeanor offenses.” The department had not yet taken action on the recommendation as of June 16, 2021. The OPA received over 19,000 complaints about Seattle police misconduct at protests, leading to 141 investigations, the outcomes of which can be viewed on the department’s demonstration complaint tracker.

OPA-0332 Closed Case Summary

Source: @The_Stepover via Twitter

120

Police Department

U.S. Park Police

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Washington, DC

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

An officer uses a shield and then his hand to hit Australian journalists Amelia Brace and Tim Myers.

What else we know

The two officers involved in the incident had been “assigned to administrative duties while an investigation takes place regarding the incident with the Australian Press,” the agency said in a statement on June 3, 2020. In the same statement, the agency said it did not use “tear gas” while clearing Lafayette Park, but it later noted on June 13, 2020, that officers used “smoke canisters, stinger balls, and pepper balls.” The investigation remained ongoing as of May 28, 2021, Sgt. Roselyn Norment said.

Source: ABC7 WJLA

265

Police Department

Unclear

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Washington, DC

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

A man backing up from a line of police is hit in the side of the head with a shield by an officer and starts bleeding.

What else we know

While some individuals in the clip have ACPD on their helmets for Arlington County Police Department, the agency said the person pictured in the video hitting the man is not their employee based on the equipment used. The U.S. Park Police said its internal affairs unit was still investigating the incident as of July 17, 2020, but said, “Due to the distance and quality of the video, we are unable to confirm if that is a USPP officer.”

Source: CNN

145

Police Department

Columbus Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 1, 2020

Location

Columbus, OH

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Police pepper spray reporters.

What else we know

In March 2021, a spokesperson for the Columbus mayor’s office told ProPublica the incident had been referred to retired FBI agent Richard Wozniak, who was “hired by the city to investigate potential criminal charges from protests this summer.” Wozniak’s investigation remained ongoing as of May 28, 2021. A spokesperson for the Police Department said Wozniak has ordered six witness officers to answer questions. An arbitration hearing will be held to “decide whether the officers will have to follow the City’s order to provide information.”

Source: @TheLantern via Twitter

1007

Police Department

Milwaukee Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 2, 2020

Location

Milwaukee, WI

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer kneels on a protester’s neck while attempting to arrest him.

What else we know

Members of the Milwaukee Common Council released a statement calling for an investigation and for the officer involved to be removed from crowd control duty for demonstrations. “The knee restraint hold helped to cause the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, when a police officer forcefully pushed on his neck for nearly 10 minutes on May 25,” council members said in the statement. “It seems more than obvious that the hold should not be used by law enforcement under any circumstances.” The department has described the incident as a “brief struggle” in which “force was used to gain compliance.” As of March 6, 2021, the incident remained under review. However Sgt. Efrain Cornejo said the Police Department would be referring it “to an outside and independent entity for further review.” As of May 25, 2021, an independent group had not yet been hired to conduct a review, according to the city.

Source: Milwaukee Independent

150

Police Department

Philadelphia Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Dismissed

Date of Incident

June 2, 2020

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Officer(s) involved

SWAT Officer Richard Nicoletti

What happened

Officer pepper-sprays kneeling protesters in the face then pushes one over and continues to spray.

What else we know

After an internal investigation, on June 26, 2020, Philadelphia police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw suspended Nicoletti for 30 days and then dismissed him, according to a representative of the department. Under the city’s collective bargaining agreement, Nicoletti will have the right to contest his dismissal, Outlaw said in a statement. On July 22, 2020, Nicoletti was charged with simple assault, reckless endangerment, official oppression and possession of an instrument of crime by District Attorney Larry Krasner. On May 17, 2021, the criminal charges were dismissed by a municipal court judge. Nicoletti’s lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., said on Facebook that the case was an example of “the district attorney’s office charging a police officer with a crime that is not supported by the facts or the law.” In May 2021, a spokesperson for Krasner’s office said it plans to refile charges in the Court of Common Pleas. After the initial charges, Krasner cited the investigation done by Philadelphia Police Internal Affairs and the District Attorney Office’s Special Investigations Unit in a statement, writing: “The complaint alleges that Officer Nicoletti broke the laws he was sworn to uphold and that his actions interfered with Philadelphians’ and Americans’ peaceful exercise of their sacred constitutional rights of free speech and assembly. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office will not make excuses for crimes committed by law enforcement that demean the democratic freedoms so many Americans have fought and died to preserve.” In 2011, Nicoletti and his partner were involved in the shooting of civilian Carmelo Winans. After Nicoletti and Winans struggled over his gun, his partner fired two shots and killed the man. Winans’ family filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force and the suit was settled by the city for $405,000.

Complaint against City of Philadelphia

Source: @d0wnrrrrr via Twitter

200

Police Department

Des Moines Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

Des Moines, IA

Officer(s) involved

Officer Thomas Garcia and Officer Brian Foster

What happened

Police use pepper spray and pull people out of the elevator of their apartment complex. “We live here,” one of them yells repeatedly.

What else we know

According to the Police Department, the officers were “attempting to effect a lawful arrest related to activity observed in the street following a riot at the Iowa State Capitol.” As of June 12, 2020, no formal citizen complaints had been made in connection with the incident and the officers remained on active duty. “As a matter of policy and procedure, we investigate every use of force by our officers and this will be subject to that review,” the police department said. Neither officer responded to a request for comment. The department did not respond to a request for an update on the case in May 2021.

Source: John Rage Leonetti via Facebook

228

Police Department

Houston Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

Houston, TX

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Multiple officers beat a protester, then one pepper-sprays the person recording the video.

What else we know

A spokesperson for the Police Department told ProPublica in March 2021 that the review of this incident had been completed but could not provide further information because of civil service rules.

Source: @JoelDTD via Twitter

232

Police Department

Huntsville Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

Huntsville, AL

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer pepper-sprays protesters who appear to be walking away.

What else we know

As of July 2020, the department had completed all investigations into the protests, Lt. Michael Johnson told ProPublica. The department did not specifically address the incident in the video. When asked whether there was a specific policy or regulation preventing the release of the officer’s name from the video, Johnson said, “We do not release information on internal non-criminal investigations or identify personnel involved in those investigations to media.” The department shared the same response on May 28, 2021. In June 2020, the City Council passed a resolution asking the Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council to review the protest events. On April 22, 2021, the independent counsel hired by the group reported, “There were individual instances when HPD officers used pepper spray in a manner that was, at a minimum, unprofessional and on multiple occasions in violation of HPD policy.” City Administrator John Hamilton pushed back on parts of the independent counsel report. He said that chemical irritants were primarily used to put distance between officers and aggressive protesters and prevented more direct confrontations. “My expectation is, and of course we’ll never know because it didn’t happen, had officers needed to go lay hands on that crowd or felt the need to do that or even just get up there and start pushing them, my expectation is there would have been a lot more injuries and there likely would have been people do things where the officers would have had no choice but to arrest them,” Hamilton told the City Council.

Source: WHNT News 19

206

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

May 29, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer throws a man into the side of a police vehicle.

What else we know

Source: @Stoney_Holiday via Twitter

226

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Three officers beat a passing cyclist with their batons.

What else we know

Source: Uploaded to Twitter by @joshfoxfilm

251

Police Department

St. Johnsbury Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

St. Johnsbury, VT

Officer(s) involved

Lt. Mark Bickford

What happened

Officer pushes protester down a set of stairs.

What else we know

Three days following the incident, Bickford and the protester, Carmen Turnbaugh, met with each other to apologize for their actions, according to a statement from Chad Whitehead, the town manager. Police Chief Timothy Page praised the meeting in an email to ProPublica, saying the message was “too important to be lost in conflict.” Bickford didn’t return a request for comment. On July 16, 2020, an outside agency hired to review the department’s response to the protests concluded that the “actions of the police officers were found to be in compliance with the towns policies and procedures,” with the exception of a “minor policy violation” — namely, the chief did not wear a body camera.

Investigative Report

Source: Jer Baldauf via Facebook

337

Police Department

Lowndes County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 3, 2020

Location

Valdosta, GA

Officer(s) involved

Sheriff Ashley Paulk

What happened

Officer grabs a woman by the neck after she grabs a protest sign from his hands.

What else we know

The sheriff’s office is not investigating the incident. “As follow up to the incident, a written statement was received from the female who confirmed she was touched on the shoulder and not around the neck,” a department spokesperson said in a statement. “Although a statement was obtained, the female has not filed a complaint.” That remained the case as of May 24, 2021. In the statement following the incident, the woman said when she was grabbed, Paulk’s hands were “close to or on my neck.” There was no incident report generated from the encounter, according to the department, and both parties shook hands before leaving the scene. Capt. Stryde Jones said the sheriff did not have any further comments, and the sheriff did not respond to a direct request for comment.

Valdosta Incident Statement

Source: Reid Miller via Facebook

282

Police Department

Buffalo Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Dismissed

Date of Incident

June 4, 2020

Location

Buffalo, NY

Officer(s) involved

Officers Robert McCabe and Aaron Torgalski

What happened

Two of the officers push an eldery man backward, causing him to hit his head on the pavement. Blood pools around his head as several officers walk past him.

What else we know

Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood suspended both officers without pay the evening of the incident, according to Capt. Jeff Rinaldo. However, as of July 6, 2020, the officers were once again receiving paychecks despite being suspended because the Buffalo police contract only allows for officers to be suspended without pay for 30 days. The officers will continue to be paid pending the outcome of the internal investigation. A departmental disciplinary hearing in the case is set for late 2021, Rinaldo said. Felony assault charges against the officers, to which both pleaded not guilty, were dismissed by a Grand Jury in February 2021. The man who was pushed has filed a civil lawsuit with the city. On March 19, 2021, the defendants in the case filed a response calling for the case to be dismissed and stating in part that his injuries were “a result of the Plaintiff’s own illegal, reckless, and/or culpable conduct.”

Source: WBFO

311

Police Department

San Diego Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Pending investigation

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 4, 2020

Location

San Diego, CA

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Plainclothes officers arrest Shayla Piccini and take her into an unmarked police car. Another witness yells, “Where is she going?” and an officer says, “If you follow us you will get shot.”

What else we know

Piccini was arrested for assault on a peace officer. In a statement about the arrest, the Police Department said, “A detective witnessed a woman step off of the sidewalk into the roadway and swing a cardboard sign at a passing SDPD motorcycle officer.” According to the arrest report obtained by ProPublica, the “weapon/force” used by Piccini — the cardboard sign — was classified as “other dangerous weapon.” “We understand the concerns when arrests are made by detectives who may not be easily identifiable,” the department said. “In this incident, the crime occurred in front of our detectives and uniformed officers were not available.” Dante Pride, the attorney for Piccini, said his client has filed a complaint with the Police Department. On Dec. 4, Pride also filed a claim against the city on Piccini’s behalf, stating that the police had “deprived” Piccini’s of her constitutional rights. While her mother was given the names of all of the officers present, she was not told specifically which officers conducted the arrest, Pride said. For Piccini, justice will mean knowing what role each officer played and what discipline they receive, said Pride, who said he would be “livid” if his own daughter had been subjected to the same treatment. The incident remained under investigation by the San Diego Police Department as of Nov. 30, 2020. The department did not respond to requests for an update in March or May 2021.

Arrest Report

Source: @jaycieelynnn via Twitter

286

Police Department

New York City Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 4, 2020

Location

New York City, NY

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer beats protesters with baton.

What else we know

Investigations into police misconduct at protests were “progressing as fast as possible in the middle of a riot situation,” said police Commissioner Dermot Shea at a press conference on June 4, 2020, speaking generally about the incidents. Several officer suspensions would likely follow investigations, the commissioner said at the time. On June 22, 2020, the commissioner spoke at state Attorney General Letitia James’ public hearing on police and public interactions and defended his department. “As the leader of this agency, I will affirm that unlawful activity and violations of our standards of conduct and regulations will be addressed — and we have already begun to do so,” he said. “However, I strongly push back against the notion that we are a violent, racist and lawless agency, like some have recklessly alleged. In fact, all of the critical data demonstrates the opposite — that the department is the most restrained, diverse and, dare I say, progressive police agency in the country.” The department did not respond to a request for an update on the case in May 2021.

Source: @AshAgony via Twitter

334

Police Department

Philadelphia Police Department

Officer(s) identified

Yes

Disciplined Status

Yes

Criminal Charges Filed

Dismissed

Date of Incident

June 5, 2020

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Officer(s) involved

Staff Inspector Joseph Bologna

What happened

Officer abruptly grabs protester and pulls her to the ground.

What else we know

District Attorney Larry Krasner charged Bologna with aggravated assault on June 5, 2020, but a judge dismissed the charges on Jan. 15, 2021. Krasner’s office told ProPublica in May 2021 that it planned to refile the charges. Because Bologna was charged criminally, police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw suspended him for 30 days after the incident with the intent to fire him at the end of his suspension. John McNesby, a Philadelphia police union leader, voiced his support for Bologna after the incident and has created a T-shirt for sale in support of the suspended officer. Bologna is also involved in another incident on this list. Bologna’s lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., didn’t return a request for comment in March 2021.

Source:

378

Police Department

Portland Police Bureau

Officer(s) identified

Disciplined Status

Unknown

Criminal Charges Filed

Date of Incident

June 6, 2020

Location

Portland, OR

Officer(s) involved

Unknown: help us identify

What happened

Officer beats protester with baton and then pepper-sprays them for filming an arrest.

What else we know

A Portland Police Bureau representative said all uses of force were being investigated but wouldn’t answer any questions regarding this specific incident. When asked for an update on May 24, 2021, a spokesperson said, “There may be circumstances when results of an internal investigation are shared publicly, but our office has not received any information to release related to these investigations.” On June 28, 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon filed a class-action lawsuit against the city of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau, claiming police were using targeted violence against reporters and protesters at the George Floyd protests. In its response to the class-action lawsuit, the city denied that it targeted journalists and legal observers. The city also denied “that it retaliated against Plaintiffs or Plaintiff Class for engaging in any constitutionally protected activity.”