Black mother, attorney ginned up hate hoax that turned white teen's life upside down. Now Texas judge makes them pay.
A white Texas student's life was turned upside down by a hate hoax perpetrated by a black acquaintance's mother, Summer Smith, and her lawyer, Kim Cole.
Smith and Cole were at last visited by consequence on Jan. 22, when a Texas judge awarded the student, Asher Vann, $3.2 million in attorneys fees and damages from the duo.
A mother's hate hoax
Smith, of Plano, Texas, came forward in March 2021 with allegations about her black son's supposed bullying by a white acquaintance and other classmates.
'They knowingly and intentionally launched a crusade of false facts, allegations, and narratives to create a social media and public outrage.'
After lobbing various accusations and sharing images of minors from the Plano Independent School District online, Smith held a press conference where she alleged that her then-13-year-old son, SeMarion Humphrey, was subjected to racially charged abuse, forced to drink urine from a plastic cup, shot with BB guns at a sleepover, and threatened so that he would not speak out.
"This is not a prank. This is beyond bullying. You are evil. They are evil," Smith said at the press conference.
Cole — a lawyer who briefly represented Karmelo Anthony, the man accused of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet last year — claimed that the supposed abuse at the sleepover was "pre-calculated" and "racially motivated" and alleged further that Humphrey's peers used racial and "homophobic" slurs against him.
RELATED: ANOTHER Black Lives Matter scam exposed: Oklahoma leader accused of blowing funds on trips, real estate, shopping sprees
The duo's claims were not only gobbled up by Dominique Alexander, the founder of Next Generation Action Network, and other leftist activists who demanded "justice" and marched with the supposed victim but amplified by the liberal media and in a viral petition that secured over 182,000 signatures.
The school district, faced with intense scrutiny after Smith's press conference, launched an investigation into the matter. The Plano Police Department similarly indicated that it was looking into the matter.
Facing similar pressure, then-Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere joined other officials in condemning the alleged "abhorrent behavior" and spoke of the need to "end bullying and racial abuse in our school and certainly in our community."
The false victim narrative that prompted all this hand-wringing initially proved lucrative for Smith.
With Cole's help, Smith was able to raise nearly $120,000 on GoFundMe in the name of therapy, private schooling, and "justice for SeMarion."
The Washington Free Beacon, citing court records, reported that less than $1,000 of the money raised went toward Humphrey's schooling. The rest was blown on luxuries including dining, travel, beauty products, liquor, cell phones, car payments, rent, and a designer dog.
While Smith raked in the cash, Asher Vann, the white student accused of organizing the alleged attack on Humphrey, was vilified and attacked.
"I was getting death threats from thousands of people on social media," Vann told the Free Beacon. "People leaked my address and my name. During one of the protests, they walked all the way to my house and threw bricks through my house."
"It was scary," continued Vann, whose family apparently often looked after Humphrey. "These were adults, and I was in middle school at the time. Full-grown adults were rushing my house and causing harm to it. What if I was home and they saw me? They could have ripped me from my home and beaten me. It was very scary."
In addition to bricks and vitriol, Vann was slapped along with some of his friends with criminal charges — charges that a grand jury declined to accept and a Plano Police Department officer admitted last year likely lacked probable cause, the Free Beacon reported.
A father's justice
Aaron Vann ultimately sued Cole and Smith on behalf of his son, Asher.
The lawsuit accused the duo of:
- creating an "outrageously false narrative for the purposes of raising money and garnering attention, at the expense of children's privacy";
- invasion of privacy, noting that Smith and Cole apparently publicized the teen's name and address "with the express purpose of causing humiliation, public ridicule, and inspiring public hatred and harassment" of the teen; and
- acting "intentionally and/or recklessly, when they knowingly and intentionally launched a crusade of false facts, allegations, and narratives to create a social media and public outrage designed to torment [Asher] and subject him to intense ridicule, hatred, embarrassment, and fear – all based on facts Defendants knew to be false."
According to Plano Police Department Officer Patricia McClure's 2025 testimony cited by the Beacon, the boys attending the sleepover apparently went outside with airsoft rifles and BB guns in search of frogs during a winter storm. Absent any sign of amphibian targets, the boys reportedly took turns shooting one another. Later, they pranked one another.
Vann suggested to the Beacon that there was no ill will between him and Humphrey after the sleepover but that Smith later caught wind of the events and pushed an alternate version in the press.
The case was called to trial in late October, and a jury — which included four black members — found that Smith and Cole effectively blew up Asher Vann's life with a false narrative.
Judge Benjamin Smith of Texas' 380th Judicial District Court ruled late last month that for their "intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy" against the young man, Smith and her lawyer must each pay $1,599,000, accruing interest at a rate of 7.5% per annum. The judge also ordered both women to each pay several thousand dollars more for Vann's attorney fees.
Smith told the Beacon she plans on filing an appeal and maintains that her preferred narrative is the truth. Cole did not return Blaze News' request for comment.
This is not the Vann family's first court victory in recent years.
The Vanns took the Plano Independent School District to court after it suspended Asher Vann for three days and placed him in an off-campus disciplinary program for 75 days amid Smith's hate hoax campaign. In 2022, a U.S. district court found that the district had indeed violated the boy's substantive due process rights.
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'Where are all the workers?' BlazeTV's Sara Gonzales exposes potential H-1B visa fraud in Texas
BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales appears to have uncovered a rash of possible H-1B visa fraud in the Lone Star State.
"If you thought Somalian day-care fraud was a problem, it turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg," said Gonzales. "There's a whole new problem that it turns out is taking tens of thousands of jobs away from Americans and changing our communities forever that you probably haven't even thought of. I'm talking about H-1B visas."
The H-1B visa program enables U.S.-based employers to temporarily hire foreign workers into specialized positions that American citizens supposedly can't do. H-1B specialty occupation workers are generally admitted for a period of up to three years, which can in most cases be extended for another three years.
'I'm not buying it.'
While the H-1B is a nonimmigrant visa, it paves the way for foreigners to obtain permanent residency in the country.
Lawmakers from both parties have in recent years expressed concerns about H-1B visa fraud and abuse, proposing amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act that would reform or even abolish the program.
Amid chatter online about serial abuse of the program in Texas, Gonzales began scrutinizing H-1B employers operating in her region, two of which didn't pass the smell test.
One of the two companies, which appears in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' H-1B Employer Datahub as Qubitz Tech Sysystems [sic] LLC, had 12 H-1B beneficiaries approved last year. The company, whose visa job contact is Hari Madiraju, has apparently been hiring "software developers" from abroad for years.
Gonzales went to the address listed for Qubitz in Frisco, Texas — a four-bedroom house in a residential neighborhood where a man responding to "Hari" answered the door.
In footage of the encounter, Hari appears greatly vexed by Gonzales' presence and even more so when she asks about Qubitz and its H-1B visa workers.
The moment that Gonzales mentions Qubitz, Hari announces that he is calling the police.
"I would love for the cops to come out here," says Gonzales.
"Are the workers in here? Are the 12 workers for your company in here? Do they work out of here?"
Hari indicates that the workers are located at his "company." When Gonzales asks where his company is, Hari appears to tell the 911 operator, "Somebody is knocking on my door and then they are like threatening me. ... Please, can you help me?"
Gonzales later paid a visit to the supposed Qubitz office Hari suggested was headquarters for his dozen or more workers only to find a prison-cell-sized room with a single chair and some folding tables.
"Pretty cramped working quarters for 12 H-1B workers," said Gonzales. "I'm not buying it."
3Bees Technologies Inc., which is listed as active on the Texas Comptroller website, similarly raised eyebrows.
According to the H-1B Employer Datahub, the company — whose agent, director, and president is Vamsi Krishna Vajinapally — had 27 H-1B beneficiaries approved in 2022 and 19 visa petitions apparently denied the following year.
While the visas approved in 2022 for Vajinapally's foreign workforce — which at one time supposedly comprised software developers, software quality assurance analysts, and software engineers — are apparently no longer valid, Gonzales was nevertheless surprised to find little evidence the recipients had a legitimate workplace to leave behind.
The BlazeTV host visited the location listed as the company's address in Irving, Texas. As with Qubitz, she found a house in a residential neighborhood.
After finding no discernible evidence of people working at the location during business hours and receiving passing insight from a neighbor that something shady was afoot on the block, Gonzales traveled to the recently updated Plano address on the 3Bees website.
At that location, Gonzales found a building under construction, devoid of signs of office workers and software development. Gonzales indicated that while the location is currently being transformed into a social club, the location was formerly a WeWork, a remote office space that anyone can rent.
Gonzales indicated that Vajinapally of 3Bees has attempted to hire H-1B workers for another supposed tech business whose alleged Texas-based office is another rentable virtual office in Lewisville.
Qubitz and 3Bees did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment.
"Once you start scraping data from H-1B databases, you start seeing immediately all of these patterns," said Gonzales.
"The biggest question I have right now is: If we were able to find this with just a little bit of Google-searching and follow-up, why hasn't USCIS done anything to combat this?"
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Separate laws, same state: Are Sharia communities growing in Texas?
New Islamic developments in cities like Plano, Texas, have residents concerned about a rising spread of Sharia-based teachings and community structures. And their concern isn’t misplaced, as videos from inside the movement reveal candid admissions about enforcing religious law, including punishments for theft and adultery.
“Those shopkeepers who sell the rings and stuff on the kiosks, when it’s time for Salah, what do they do? Even to this day, they put a cloth over it and they go pray. Nobody’s going to steal anything. Why? Because you will lose your hand over it,” Yusha Evans of Plano, Texas, said on video.
“And if you’re in Medina, they don’t have to take you very far, because the Sharia court is right next to Masi. They don’t have to take you very far; you will lose your hand. So the deterrent is there,” he continued, noting that those who have been caught and given this punishment statistically do not repeat-offend.
“It’s almost nonexistent,” he added. “They’re sending out polls about whether you would like to live under Sharia for a reason. I would rather you keep your mouth shut than say some of things that I’ve heard been said. Because any Muslim who says they would not like to live under Sharia, they have just made a statement that exited them out of their entire religion.”
“That’s a pretty hardcore stance,” Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” comments. “That if you don’t agree with Sharia law, you don’t want to live under Sharia law, but you do want to practice Islam, sorry, you’ve left the religion.”
Gray, like many others, is concerned about the budding Muslim communities in places like Plano, where Evans lives.
“The only reason it’s a problem is because they’re trying to institute Sharia law, and they’re discriminating against Christians and Jews and anybody else who wants to move into that area by telling them that 75% of your money is going to go to the mosque we’re building,” Gray explains.
“There’s a misunderstanding that this is a new thing. It isn’t. There’s at least two of these pretty big communities here in Irving, where our studios are located, and there’s already an existing one, I believe, in Plano,” he continues, adding, “They’re just trying to make it much bigger.”
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Islamic city planned for Texas hires ex-Paxton attorney to defuse Sharia law concerns
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) in late March directed the Texas Rangers, the Texas State Securities Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission to launch investigations into the East Plano Islamic Center concerning its plans to develop a Muslim-centric city on 402 acres near Josephine, roughly 40 miles outside Dallas.
The development would reportedly feature a mosque, a K-12 faith-based school, an outreach center, commercial developments, sports facilities, and 1,000 homes, townhomes, and apartments.
'There definitely could be an argument that there's conflict because I'm still being represented by him and he's representing clients that we are investigating.'
The proposed city has ignited fears within the surrounding community that it will implement Sharia law and potentially ultimately lead to a "no-go zone."
State investigations
Abbott has repeatedly expressed concerns about the planned community.
In February, Abbott stated in a post on social media, "To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are 'no go zones' which this project seems to imply."
"Bottom line. The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas," the governor concluded, referring to EPIC's promotional clip advertising the plans.
The Texas Funeral Service Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter to EPIC in March, demanding that it "immediately stop all illegal funeral service operations."
According to Abbott, EPIC had been operating a funeral home without an established license in violation of state law.
Abbott announced on April 1 that EPIC "may not begin construction" on its community, stating that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality discovered it had failed to obtain required "authorizations or permits."
The governor insisted that EPIC City "has serious legal issues" and announced that a dozen state agencies are looking into the proposed community.
The governor tasked the Texas Rangers with investigating EPIC "for potential criminal activities." The Texas Workforce Commission is probing "potential discrimination in violation of the Texas Fair Housing Act." The Texas State Securities Board is looking into any "potential financial harm to Texans." Additionally, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is examining "potential violations of Texas consumer protection laws."
"Texas vigorously safeguards the freedoms granted to American citizens in the U.S. Constitution, including the freedom of religion," Abbott said. "To that end, the Texas Workforce Commission opened an investigation into the group behind the proposed EPIC compound who are potentially breaking state fair housing laws by refusing to sell or rent housing to certain groups based on religion or other protected traits."
Texans share concerns
The RAIR Foundation USA was among the first to begin sounding the alarm about EPIC and its proposed city.
Amy Mek, the founder and editor in chief of the RAIR Foundation, warned that the project is not just "a housing development."
"It's the expansion of a Sharia-controlled society, starting with the radical school already operating at the EPIC Mosque in Plano, Texas," Mek wrote. "Now, EPIC is scaling up — EPIC City will operate with no city oversight, no state-controlled curriculum, and no accountability to American laws."
'No one associated with EPIC … follows Sharia law or is in favor of Sharia law.'
Many residents in Blue Ridge, a city roughly 20 miles away from Josephine, voiced their concerns about the proposed development during a recent city council meeting.
Douglas Deaton, a former police lieutenant in Plano, stated that a Sharia law enclave existed in Texas long before EPIC proposed its city plans.
"There seems to be a general misunderstanding that we're talking about a plan to build an Islamic, Sharia-friendly community. The EPIC neighborhood already exists in Plano. It's been there for nearly 12 years. With 74 residential properties, a massive mosque, schools, a medical clinic, and multiple businesses," he told the city council. "You have to be a member of their mosque to live there."
"This is not a matter of radicals hiding in plain sight; they're not hiding. They've been open about their beliefs and their intent," Deaton added.
On Wednesday, Paxton spoke with Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck about the governor's actions against EPIC, revealing interesting new details about the controversy.
"We're not going to sacrifice [our constitution] for Sharia law. It's just not going to happen in Texas," Paxton told Beck. "At the same time, we want to be cognizant that people have a right to have their own religion, and we respect that."
Paxton explained that the community cannot discriminate against potential residents based on religion, noting that doing so would violate housing laws.
He stated that he recently learned that the attorney representing EPIC City's developers, Dan Cogdell, is the same lawyer who previously defended him against impeachment. Paxton was acquitted of all charges in 2023.
The AG called it "a little concerning" that he was not made aware of that fact sooner.
"There definitely could be an argument that there's conflict because I'm still being represented by him and he's representing clients that we are investigating," Paxton told Beck.
EPIC responds
EPIC has denied claims that its proposed community will disregard state and federal laws to implement Sharia law.
Cogdell accused Abbott of spreading lies about the planned city, claiming that the project is "the victim of racial profiling."
"These aren't foreign adversaries. These are Texans. These are Americans. These are United States citizens," Cogdell told KTVT last week. "No one associated with EPIC, no one associated with that community follows Sharia law or is in favor of Sharia law."
Cogdell had a message for Abbott.
"Quit tweeting lies, false information, and nonsense. Because my clients right now, what they are doing is they are suffering from essentially gubernatorial hate speech," he stated.
Cogdell reportedly told KTVK that his clients have received "dozens of death threats." As a result, the developers were "too scared to go on camera," according to the news outlet.
When reached for comment, the governor's office referred KTVK to previously released statements.
Beck was offered an opportunity to speak with the project's developer on Thursday, only to discover that Cogdell had been tapped to talk on their behalf. Upon realizing this, Beck canceled, insisting that he wanted a candid conversation with the developer, not the attorney. The developer signaled interest in rescheduling for next week.
During Thursday's radio show, Beck stated, "I got an email from somebody who said, 'You know, you should talk to the developer directly.'"
The email read, "Given the amount of misinformation circulating, it might be beneficial to speak directly with the landowner developer to ensure accuracy."
"So I said yes to that on the program," Beck stated. "Then I find out that it's the lawyer. Well, what happened to the directly to the landowner developer? So they said he'll be prepared for our conversation sometime next week."
"I don't have anything bad to say about the developer if it's all on the up and up," he added. "It's just, there's some things about this, the people that are engaged in it, that are a little disturbing."
The developer did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
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'You cannot hide': Alleged Tesla firebomber finds out actions have consequences — possibly decades in federal prison
Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a message Monday night to radicals: "If you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars."
Bondi made clear that this was not an idle threat, noting that Cooper Frederick, 24, has been charged in connection with the March 7 firebombing of a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado.
"All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety," said the attorney general. "Therefore, there will be no negotiating. We are seeking 20 years in prison."
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Frederick was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of malicious destruction and attempted destruction of property by fire and one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
'It's incredibly challenging to keep our citizens safe.'
On March 7, just after midnight, Loveland Police officers responded to a report of arson at the local Tesla dealership, where similar incidents resulting in federal criminal charges occurred on Jan. 29, Feb. 2, Feb. 7, and Feb. 24. Police indicated that an incendiary device had been thrown at the building, then ignited between Tesla vehicles, "putting several occupants inside Tesla at risk." Vehicles at the location were apparently also damaged by rocks in the attack.
Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran expressed frustration at the time over the perceived light touch that a previous alleged arsonist received, noting, "It's incredibly challenging to keep our citizens safe from copycat behavior when there are no repercussions to lawlessness."
Fortunately, repercussions were imminent.
Loveland Police arrested Frederick, a Fort Collins resident, on March 13, and slapped him with five state felony charges, including second-degree arson; criminal mischief; criminal attempt to commit a class 5 or 6 felony; and use of explosives or incendiary devices during the commission of a felony.
Frederick was released on a $20,000 cash surety bond the following day and left the state; however, the FBI caught up with the alleged firebomber and arrested him on federal charges in Plano, Texas.
"You can run, but you cannot hide," Bondi said in her video in reference to Frederick's arrest.
Kelly Page, Frederick's attorney, told CNN that her client had not run from the law but had moved back to Texas to live with his parents.
"Despite the insinuation by Ms. Bondi that Mr. Frederick fled and was apprehended in Texas, DOJ was notified of this move by counsel, and Mr. Frederick remained fully cooperative with the courts and the investigation until he was arrested on the warrant at his home in Texas," said Page.
The FBI formed a dedicated task force last month to bring an end to the ongoing attacks against Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations.
The bureau has urged the public to "exercise vigilance and to look out for suspicious activity in areas occupied by Tesla dealerships or Tesla-related entities." Concerned citizens keen to report a threat can call 1-800-225-5324 or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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Texas anesthesiologist arrested for allegedly tampering with IVs, one of which may have caused the death of fellow doctor
An anesthesiologist in Plano, Texas, has been arrested after several IV bags containing inappropriate drugs have supposedly been traced to him. Prosecutors allege that one of these bags caused the death of a fellow doctor, and another caused serious complications for at least one other patient.
Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., 59, has been arrested after security footage indicated that, on several occasions, he had tampered with IV bags, which may have caused some of the emergency incidents that arose during otherwise routine surgeries at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare Center throughout the summer.
According to Fox News, Ortiz had been under investigation by the FBI after he was allegedly seen on security cameras placing IV bags into a warmer. The bags were then used during subsequent procedures in which serious complications unexpectedly arose.
Officials investigated the bags and determined that they contained "visible tiny holes in the plastic wrap." They also discovered the presence of bupivacaine, a numbing agent often injected into the spinal cord during surgery to alleviate pain but which can be fatal if injected directly into a vein.
Authorities suspect that such was the case for one of Ortiz's colleagues. On June 21, Dr. Melanie Kaspar, 55, a co-worker at Baylor Scott & White, took a saline bag home to help her rehydrate following an illness. However, almost immediately after she inserted the IV into her vein, she went into severe cardiac distress and died.
Another young man, 18, identified in the filing only as J.A., also had a serious complication develop during a minor sinus surgery on August 24. J.A. had to be intubated and transferred to intensive care. Tests of the saline solution in one the patient's IV bags revealed the presence of bupivacaine, epinephrine, and lidocaine, none of which should have been there, but which could have caused the symptoms.
J.A.'s current condition is unknown.
After the J.A. incident, Baylor Scott & White temporarily suspended its operations, and the Texas Medical Board then suspended Ortiz's medical license on September 9. As the surgical center also experienced an usually high complication rate this summer, investigators are now considering whether those cases can be connected back to Ortiz.
Though none of the complications occurred during any of Ortiz's surgeries, the complaint notes that none of them occurred while he was on vacation either. They all occurred around the time that Ortiz was in the facility or shortly thereafter. The incidents also reportedly began shortly after Ortiz was subjected to a disciplinary inquiry for deviating "from the standard of care."
There have been other charges leveled against him as well. Since 1999, at least three women have accused him of domestic violence, and he was convicted of an unspecified crime after he shot a neighbor's dog in 2015. The dog ultimately survived.
Now, Ortiz has been charged with tampering with a consumer product causing death and intentional drug adulteration. He is expected to appear in federal court on Friday. He faces life in prison if convicted.
Texas AG blasts 'mob rule,' police chief after angry driver is only person charged when Black Lives Matter militants 'illegally shut down traffic'
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blasted "mob rule" and Plano's police chief after an angry driver caught on video confronting Black Lives Matter militants for blocking traffic was the only person charged in Saturday's incident.
What are the details?
After Paxton caught wind of the viral showdown, he issued a statement Monday decrying "a group of radical-left armed agitators and a police chief unwilling to enforce the law."
The Texas AG said that after "a group of militant BLM protesters illegally shut down traffic underneath a major highway," an "Antifa-like character pulled what appears to be a gun and pointed it at the man" who had exited his car "to demand the mob clear the way."
Paxton added that "rather than disperse the crowd or arrest the lawbreakers, the lone police officer told" the driver who confronted the group to "go away."
More from the AG's statement:
I instructed one of my top deputies to contact the Plano Police Chief to get more details. What he heard paints an even worse picture than the video alone depicts.
First the Chief told my deputy that while the weapon wasn't a pistol, it was, in fact, a "pepper ball gun." In a separate conversation, the Chief claimed it was a "taser." In a recent Facebook post, the department is now saying it was [an] "electronic control device." Whatever it was, the police declined to pursue the leftist who brandished the weapon, and no charges are being pressed against him.
Second, the Chief was anxious to excuse the rioters. "You have to understand the situation," urged the Chief. "We have to negotiate with these people. Do you expect us to mass arrest these protesters? You know that's not going to happen." Most law enforcement officers are ready and willing to uphold law and order. We need them to do that. But too many are held back by politically motivated leaders, crippled by the woke agitators, now aiders and abettors to liberal lunacy.
Here's a clip of the incident. Content warning: Language:
BLM Protestors block road in Plano, TX, get confronted by angry driver youtu.be
Paxton added in his statement that "only one person from this whole incident is being charged with a crime: The one man who told the protesters to go away. Why? For 'assault with contact' because he slapped a person's hand out of his face. No one else is being charged with anything. None of the law-breaking traffic-blockers, not the guy who pulled a weapon — no one!"
The AG ended his statement by saying he'll "never allow our beautiful Texas cities or neighborhoods to become Portland or Seattle or San Francisco because of the unchecked left. I call upon my friends and allies across the state to crack down on this lawlessness immediately. No excuses!"
What did police have to say?
Plano police told WFAA-TV that the object in the protester's hand is an electronic control device, which the station wrote is "commonly known as a Taser."
Police Chief Ed Drain added to WFAA that the device was "purchased without a permit or license, and the person who pointed the device did not commit a criminal offense by doing so."
In the video, the angry motorist appears to attempt to slap a phone out of the hand of one of the protesters. Police said in its statement that "a female reported that she was assaulted by a male who confronted the protestors. Due to the position of the crowd, the officer did not witness the assault. The officer de-escalated the situation by removing the male ... from the crowd ... After speaking with the victim and the suspect, and reviewing video footage of the incident, detectives filed an Assault-by-Contact charge with the Municipal Court against the male suspect," the station reported.
Plano police told WFAA the names of the victim and suspect are not being released over concerns for their safety, and that assault by contact is a class C misdemeanor.
In addition, police told the station that the protesters were asked to disperse after the confrontation and complied. Officers also told them that obstructing traffic is illegal, WFAA reported. Chief Drain added to the station that traffic was held up for for seven minutes.
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