TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Peaceful protests took a turn this weekend after a disagreement between one man and the protesters led to a brawl with guns drawn, yet no charges have been filed.
The investigation continues on Monday night when the police chief will sit down with the city manager, mayor, and commissioners to figure out how they can prevent Tallahassee from becoming the next city in the country to see deadly protests.
"We don't want to see the things happening in other cities happening right here in Tallahassee," said Jeremy Matlow, a Tallahassee City commissioner.
In a video taken from security cameras at the Capitol, protesters can be seen fighting with the man, eventually knocking him down. The group piles on top of him, hitting and punching him.
Within seconds, the man stands up with a gun raised. When an officer approaches him, he puts his weapon down and gets on the ground.
"The level of violence that we saw take place in front of the Capitol this weekend is unacceptable," Matlow said. "We don't accept that type of violence in our community and when it takes place, we expect our law enforcement to do their jobs."
Now, Matlow wants to know why no one has been arrested.
State Attorney Jack Campbell says it's not too late for an arrest.
"I think it's important for the public to understand this is still an open and active investigation," said Campbell. "No, we are not failing to look at the culpability of everyone. Anybody breaking the law, we are very interested in."
Campbell says on Saturday night there wasn't enough evidence to support an arrest, but that could change.
"First we had one video and that showed one perspective," Campbell said. "Now we have two and that shows two. I've seen more than two, I've seen four, five, six videos."
While investigations continue on TPD's side and the state attorney's office, Matlow is preparing for a sit down with the chief and city manager.
"I'm asking a lot questions of our city manager," said Matlow. "How do we have a situation where a gunman is waving a gun with people on their knees making international news and neither the gunman nor the people who allegedly arrested the gunman have been arrested?"
Matlow says his main goal is to make sure the violence doesn't happen in this city again.
