An incident that resulted in reported injury during a protest near the Tippecanoe County Courthouse on Saturday resulted in a continued investigation into an alleged assault by one of the protesters.
On April 5, the Lafayette Police Department reportedly responded to a disturbance during a protest organized by the 50501 Movement near the Tippecanoe County Courthouse in downtown Lafayette.
According to authorities, an adult male driver attempted to make a lawful turn at the intersection of 3rd Street and Columbia Street during the event when his path was obstructed by protesters standing in the roadway, which reportedly led to a verbal altercation between the driver and protesters.
The department reported that a male protester approached the driver and headbutted him, which caused an injury. The driver reportedly retrieved a firearm from his vehicle following the incident in what he described as “an act of self-defense.” Authorities reported that the driver did not discharge the weapon and promptly returned it to his truck.
Officers responded to the scene and detained the driver due to reports that he allegedly pointed the firearm at protesters, but following additional investigation, officers reportedly determined that the driver did not point the firearm at anyone and did not commit a crime, leading to his subsequent release.
The department stated that it is actively working to identify the male individual who headbutted the driver and requested anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the department at 765-807-1200.
