ROCHESTER, N.Y. (NewsNation Now) – 11 people have been arrested and three Rochester police officers are injured Friday evening during what started off as a rally to demand justice for Daniel Prude, according to NewsNation affiliate WROC.
Four of those individuals arrested were in custody at the Monroe County Jail and seven were issued appearance tickets. Three officers were injured as a result of “projectiles and incendiary devices” being thrown at them, according to the Rochester Police Department. The officers were hospitalized and were later released.
The RPD said two of the officers received swelling, cuts and contusions to their hands and legs while the other officer received burns to their neck.
Daniel Prude, 41, died March 30 after he was taken off life support, seven days after Rochester police took him into custody. Prude’s family said he was suffering a mental health crisis.
Body-cam video of his encounter with Rochester Police officers was released earlier this week.
The RPD said at least 2,000 people gathered in the city’s downtown area. The rally started at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and continued towards East Avenue.
The RPD said some members of the crowd began throwing bottles, rocks and other debris at responding officers shortly before 11 p.m. Officers utilized pepper balls and pepper spray for the first time Friday evening to disperse the crowd.
Officers encountered a large crowd at the intersection of South Clinton Avenue and Court Street at around midnight Saturday and the crowd began throwing bottles, rocks and other debris at officers.
Some members of the crowds began small fires including to a bus shelter and to garbage cans. According to the RPD, some were setting off commercial-grade fireworks directly at officers.
Officers deployed tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd at approximately 12:05 a.m. The RPD said this was the first and only deployment of tear gas that evening.
A spokesperson with the RPD said it’s not prepared to report on damage to private or city-owned property at this time.
NewsNation affiliate WROC contributed to this report.
