DALLAS (AP) — Two Dallas police officers and one from the Dallas suburb of Garland were indicted Friday for aggravated assault for their actions during the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s killing by police in Minneapolis.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzo announced Friday that Dallas officer Ryan Mabry faces six counts, former Dallas officer Melvin Williams faces four counts and Garland officer Joe Privitt faces one count after being indicted by a grand jury.
“These indictments as returned by the Grand Jury are the result of almost 2 years of investigation by the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office,” Creuzo said in a statement.
Garland Police Chief Jeff Byan said Privitt is a 32-year veteran officer who had no disciplinary actions taken against him.
“I’m astonished and disappointed to learn that Officer Privett was indicted … related to actions he took in assisting the Dallas Police Department during riots that occurred in Dallas almost two years ago,” Brown said.
Bryan said Dallas police requested assistance and he authorized Privitt to join in controlling the protests that turned aggressive.
Bryan said protesters brandished weapons and threw bricks, rocks, frozen water bottles and bottles of urine at police.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia planned to speak at a news conference later Friday.
Mabry and Williams also face two counts of deadly conduct in addition to charges of official oppression announced in February.
Mabry and Privitt were placed on administrative leave while Williams was fired earlier this year for violating the department’s use-of-force policy in a separate incident.
Attorneys for Mabry and Williams have called the charges a false narrative and said at least two of those injured provoked the officers.
It was not immediately clear if Privitt has an attorney to speak in his behalf.
