- New video shows students on hanging on cars, throwing ice and snow at cars on Madison Street Wednesday morning.
- TPD says officers dispersed pepper balls into the crowd after they would not leave.
- Watch the video to see what happened:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
We're getting a better look at the moments leading to an arrest after Tallahassee Police say ice and snow were thrown at an officer.
I spoke with a FSU student that took video showing what led to the arrest of a man and pepper balls being dispersed.
"If cars were driving by like this, they were pelted with snowballs then people would jump on the cars, hold on to it," Shane Carroll said.
That's how FSU Junior Shane Carroll describes Madison Street right before a man was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer.
The now icy street houses some of the busiest bars in the area, which Carroll said were open.
"They're definitely under the influence and let the emotions get the best of them, but it was madness, Florida kids have never seen snow and they were throwing snowballs and everything," Carroll said.
TPD officials described them as "ice projectiles," in a written statement.
They said they were called to the scene after a driver complained about snow being thrown at their car.
TPD said they were investigating "...the criminal mischief and felony of throwing a projectile into a moving vehicle…."
Police said officers issued a verbal warning for the crowd to disperse over their PA.
That's when TPD said a man threw ice at the officer and the patrol car, prompting them to disperse pepper balls.
"I think it was reasonable for them to be there but the reaction of how they handled the situation was a little bit too far," Isabella Cortinas said.
Isabella Cortinas came to see what was going on to prompt the police presence and says she felt the effects of the pepper balls.
"I was just trying to look and see what's going on and get an idea because you are hearing the sirens, you're hearing all of these things going on," Cortinas said. "You just want to be like 'what's happening? I'm curious' so just by being curious and wanting to see what happened, it screwed you over too."
But, TPD said no one was hit by the pepper balls.
Police also noted that they wanted to remind neighbors that "...while winter storms can be exciting, throwing hard "ice balls," can be dangerous due to the hard impact when thrown and can be illegal."
TPD was on Madison Street again Thursday, this time, watching for icy conditions on the road.
