Wauwatosa Police Deploy Pepper Balls During Protest After Bottle Thrown at Officers

The Wauwatosa Police Department released footage from October 9 showing a protester throwing a bottle at police, and officers responding by deploying pepper balls.

Protests were sparked by the decision by the district attorney not to charge an officer involved in the fatal shooting of a teenager. Alvin Cole, 17, was shot dead by police after producing a handgun while fleeing police after an argument at a mall, according to reports.

This footage was released by the Wauwatosa Police Department, who said it shows police facing off with 100 demonstrators gathered at an intersection after the citywide 7pm emergency curfew order took effect. The footage captures the scenes after an hour of police warning protesters to disperse, police said.

In the footage, an officer is heard saying a protester has a gun in their right pocket, before a bottle is thrown at police, and an officer sprays pepper balls back. The footage also shows what police said was the arrest of a protester who had refused to disperse and physically resisted arrest. The protester was “in possession of an eyewash solution, a spray bottle, and lighter fluid,” police said.

On Sunday, media reported at least 8 arrests were made during the protests on Saturday night. Credit: Wauwatosa Police Department via Storyful