Warning
CURFEW CLASH
Buffalo riot cops suspended after being filmed shoving man, 75, to the ground and leaving him bleeding and unconscious
THIS is the shocking moment riot cops in western New York shoved an elderly man to the ground, where he lay bleeding and unconscious on the sidewalk.
The two were suspended by Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood and a full Internal Affairs investigation is pending after the disturbing footage emerged on Thursday.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz wrote to Friday, revealing the victim "is still in serious but stable condition at the Erie County Medical Center.
"As was relayed to me by an ECMC official, he is "alert and oriented."
The policemen who pushed will not be paid during the suspension period.
The disturbing clip shows the man wearing a mask approach a crowd of officers in Niagara Square this evening before he is roughly pushed out of their way by at least two of them.
He stumbles back, falls to the ground, and appears to be knocked out as shouts of "he's bleeding out of his ears" can be heard and bystanders urged someone to call an ambulance.
When one officer attempts to bend down and check on the injured man, he is pulled back by his colleague.
reported that the man is now in a stable condition at ECMC in Buffalo after the brutal interaction with the cops.
They can be heard calling for medical assistance as a protestor holding a sign is cuffed by them.
"Back up, back up," a female officer tells the reporter filming, while the injured man continues to bleed on the ground. "Get back!"
"You better get an ambulance for him," another worried witness can be heard saying before the 39-second clip ends.
There was no answer when The Sun called the Buffalo Police Commissioner's Office for comment on Thursday night.
The horrific incident occurred as cops tried to enforce the 8 pm curfew while two separate protests took place.
Governor blasted the incident on Twitter and in a press release, slamming the actions of these two Buffalo police officers as "wholly unjustified and utterly disgraceful."
"Police Officers must enforce — NOT ABUSE — the law," the governor said.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown released a statement saying he too was "deeply disturbed by the video, as was Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood" – but he noted the demonstrations after curfew were "illegal."
MOST READ IN NEWS
"He directed an immediate investigation into the matter, and the two officers have been suspended without pay," Brown said.
"After days of peaceful protests and several meetings between myself, Police leadership and members of the community, tonight’s event is disheartening.
"I hope to continue to build on the progress we have achieved as we work together to address racial injustice and inequity in the City of Buffalo. My thoughts are with the victim tonight.”
Protester with little kid on his shoulders faces off with cop pointing rubber bullet gun at them
Topics