Detroit officer facing felony charges after shooting rubber pellets at the media
Police officers follow protesters to the lawn of the police station in Detroit, Michigan on May 31, 2020 following a night of protests that saw several arrests and uses of tear gas by the Detroit Police department on what was peaceful protesting. (Ph
DETROIT (FOX 2) - An officer with the Detroit Police Department is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say he fired rubber pellets at three members of the media during a Black Lives Matter protest earlier this summer.
The photojournalists were downtown in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd the evening of May 30. Prosecutor Kym Worthy says they were shot just after midnight when they encountered Corporal Daniel Debono, 32.
Worthy says the three media members, photojournalist Nicole Hester, 30, of MLive, and independent photojournalists Seth Herald, 28, and Matthew Hatcher, 29, were covering the protest and were wearing press credentials.
The three were walking when they encountered Debono with two other officers at Woodward Avenue and State Street. They identified themselves as members of the press and had their hands up, asking to cross the street.
Worthy says Debono was dressed in riot gear and armed with a weapon that fired rubber pellets, as well as his department-issued firearm.
As the three began to cross the street it is alleged that Debono fired his weapon at them, hitting all of three with rubber pellets.
Prosecutor Worthy says the shooting was unprovoked and that at no time did they do anything to cause the officer to shoot at them.
“The evidence shows that these three journalists were leaving the protest area and that there was almost no one else on the street where they were. They were a threat no one. There are simply no explicable reasons why the alleged actions of this officer were taken,” said Prosecutor Worthy.
All three were injured.
Herald’s wrist was injured and Hatcher had bruising on his face, a mark on his nose and bruising on his ribs. Hester sustained the most injuries to her face, neck, arms and legs.
Debono has been charged with three counts of felonious assault, a felony carrying a maximum penalty of four years.
Detroit police chief James Craig said Debono has been suspended without pay during the course of the investigation.