Name: Ohio BCI, sheriff’s department investigating after protester shot with bean bag round lost eye
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Ohio BCI, sheriff’s department investigating after protester shot with bean bag round lost eye

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NEW!508sharesCLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations have launched an investigation into the May 30 incident where an officer shot with a bean bag round during demonstrations in downtown Cleveland.The county said in a statement released Tuesday that sheriff’s deputies did deploy less-lethal munitions, including bean bag rounds at the Justice Center, but the department was not sure if a deputy fired the shot that left 24-year-old John Sanders missing his left eye.The sheriff’s department had not received a formal complaint from Sanders, who an interview last week that he did not see the officer who shot him and did not know what agency employed the officer.Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said in a Wednesday statement to cleveland.com that none of that department’s officers shot bean bag rounds during the protest. A spokeswoman for Greater Cleveland RTA police, which also had officers stationed at the Justice Center, previously told cleveland.com that none of that agency’s officers used bean bag rounds either.The sheriff’s department is asking anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Identification at 1-855-BCI-OHIO (1-855-224-6446).Dennis Murray Jr., an attorney representing Sanders and his family, said Tuesday that Sanders intends to cooperate with the investigation.“Something went seriously wrong because no one would think it was reasonable to fire beanbag rounds at someone who was just there to peacefully protest, who had committed no crime, who was not even near let alone threatening law enforcement, and who was walking away from the commotion,” Murray said. “This never should have happened and for certain and should not happen again.”The investigation was announced Tuesday, more than three weeks after Sanders was struck while participating in downtown’s protests against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said the sheriff’s department initiated the investigation after it received inquiries from last week.The demonstrations turned violent when police clashed with protesters at the Justice Center for several hours.Sanders said he walked around to the side of the Justice Center on West 3rd Street and approached the building to take a snapshot of some graffiti at about 5:30 p.m., and two guys he didn’t know came up and started throwing bricks at the window. He did not throw any items, he said.Officers from inside the Justice Center tossed out canisters that emitted chemical spray at them, Sanders said. A short video clip provided to shows Sanders casually walking away from the building into the street as the cloud of spray grew, and several people ran away. He was walking by himself when police fired two bean bags at him, one of which struck his eye, the video shows.Sanders said the impact numbed his face and he immediately lost his vision in his eye. A group of demonstrators ushered him to the sidewalk and helped stabilize him for several minutes until a Cleveland EMS crew arrived and rushed him to the hospital, he said.Doctors performed emergency surgery with hopes to save his eye, Sanders said. Surgeons found the damage was too severe and performed a second surgery to remove it, he said.The impact of the bean bag also tore off a third of Sanders’ eyelid. Doctors had to graft skin from his neck to replace the eyelid, he said.Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett tweeted in support of Sanders, and a GoFund Me that was set up has now raised nearly $30,000.Read more storiesNote to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

NEW!508sharesCLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations have launched an investigation into the May 30 incident where an officer shot with a bean bag round during demonstrations in downtown Cleveland.The county said in a statement released Tuesday that sheriff’s deputies did deploy less-lethal munitions, including bean bag rounds at the Justice Center, but the department was not sure if a deputy fired the shot that left 24-year-old John Sanders missing his left eye.The sheriff’s department had not received a formal complaint...

Ohio BCI, sheriff’s department investigating after protester shot with bean bag round lost eye

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