Update: Multiple arrests after fight following mostly peaceful Oakdale rally
An incident at the conclusion of an Oakdale demonstration on Wednesday, widely circulated on social media, resulted in multiple arrests.
Video of the incident shows at least one man approach a convertible and engage with its occupants as they drove down F Street.
Brandon Gray, a former Beyer High School and Modesto Junior College football player, was detained following an altercation in which Gray, a passenger in the car, was punched.
After the man punches him, the video shows Gray getting out of his seat and standing on top of the car before a law enforcement officer pulls him backward by the leg. Gray lands on the road on his feet, winding up on the other side of the vehicle from his attacker.
According to a post on the Oakdale Police Department’s Facebook page, three people involved in the incident, including the man who punched Gray, were arrested. None of those arrested were named.
Sacramento TV station Fox 40 reported two people from Oakdale were arrested – Nicholas Gonzalez, 33, the man from outside the vehicle who apparently punched Gray, and Joseph Lutz, 20. Gonzalez was charged with battery and Lutz was charged with battery on a police officer. Nobody in the convertible was arrested.
Later Wednesday night, Gray posted on his Twitter account: “I just wanted to say I love you to everyone here showing your support not only to me but to the movement as well, today something happened that changed my life forever but I will never stop marching and fighting for what’s right SAY it loud for everyone to hear! #BLACKLIVESMATTER”
Early Thursday morning, Lutz posted on his Twitter account: “I appreciate the love. Out of jail after 13 hours of processing. 25,000$ bail so I really appreciate the support. Reminder the black individual was going to be charged with assault on a officer if I didn’t tell him what really happened #blm”
A GoFundMe page with the title “Brandon Gray Wrongfully Arrested” had over $5,000 as of 6:30 p.m., two hours after the page was created. GoFundMe pages for Gonzalez and Lutz had also been created.
Attempts by The Bee to contact Gray via text messages went unanswered.
Two officers, according to the department, suffered minor injuries.
The rally began around 10 a.m. in protest over systemic racism and the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minnesota last week. Floyd’s death has sparked protests around the country, some of which have devolved into violence.
The demonstration in Oakdale was fairly peaceful, though there was some back-and-forth between those protesting Floyd’s death and a group of counter protesters. When the crowd didn’t fully disperse and became unruly, Oakdale Police declared an unlawful assembly.
“Our objective was to provide a safe space for public expression,” police said in a news release Wednesday evening. “While we support peaceful demonstrations; we will not tolerate any violence in our city and when it does happen, we take immediate action. We’ve also heard concerns about other altercations around the city. We have not responded to any other incidents at this time or received any other reports of violence.”
A similar situation occurred after a large,. mostly peaceful protest in Modesto on Sunday. Sixteen people were arrested.
Expected continued protesting prompted Stanislaus County to issue a state of emergency on Wednesday.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 7:26 PM.
