KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — After multiple arrests were made during protests in Kalamazoo this week, three people have now been formally charged.
While protests against the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and racial injustice have been largely peaceful, some demonstrators vandalized buildings, looted, and provoked law enforcement during the night of Monday, June 1st.
The violent disturbances in Downtown Kalamazoo prompted police to launch tear gas and pepper spray, using crowd control methods to clear the scene.
On Thursday the Kalamazoo County District Court announced that three people arrested during the Monday night protests have been charged.
38-year-old Daniel Latrell Williams of Kalamazoo has been charged with two counts of assault/resisting and obstructing a police officer.
30-year-old Gabrielle Harris of Muskegon has been charged with one count of malicious destruction of police property and another count of resisting a police officer. If convicted of both charges she could face up to six years in prison.
18-year-old Kalamazoo resident Rocky Thomas was also charged with attempted arrest and obstructing a police officer, facing a potential one-year misdemeanor.
Six people were arrested Monday night and 10 were arrested Tuesday evening after protesters stayed past curfew and were warned several times before tear gas was deployed.
According to MLive, of the 16 people arrested, 14 are from the city of Kalamazoo, but KDPS Police Chief Karrianne Thomas still acknowledged the fact that some of the vandals were not from the community.
WWMT reports that the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office is also looking into possible riot charges for other people suspected of disorder during the night or already arrested by police.
