Riots broke out in Rochester NY last night in the wake of video of the death of Daniel Prude that was released earlier this week.
This one hits close to home for this editor, Rochester is about 60 miles to the west of me.
Prude, who was high in PCP and having a psychotic break, died after an encounter with the police back in March. His brother, Joe, called police concerned for his brother’s safety. He said that he called authorities the previous evening and that his brother was hospitalized briefly but started acting out when he was released from a hospital after only about three hours.
On the body camera video released Thursday, Joe Prude says he fears that his brother might hurt himself or get hit by a train on tracks near his house. Daniel Prude was taking PCP, according to his brother, and had been kicked off a train earlier that day in Buffalo.
He was found naked and raving in the middle of a Rochester street by police who attempted to take him into custody. Prude was reportedly spitting at officers, so they placed a spit hood over his head. At some point he became non-responsive and was taken to a local hospital. He died in the hospital 7 days later.
His family released bodycam footage of the encounter after the coroner’s report was issued last week. Monroe County Medical Examiner Nadia Granger concluded that Prude died from “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint,” according to an autopsy case summary provided by the family’s lawyer. She cited “acute phencyclidine intoxication,” or the effects of PCP, as a contributing factor.
Since the release of the video this week there have been growing protests in Rochester. Last night was the first time they turned violent however.
Unlike previous protests, this one moved into residential neighborhoods.
Here they storm some restaurants, smashing things and threatening patrons.
RPD declares an illegal assembly and attempts to disperse the crowds.
All told, 11 people were arrested, three for felonies, and three cops sustained minor injuries.