DA Hummel set to announce charging decisions in Pilot Butte melee, later protest
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel plans to announce Thursday morning his charging decisions in an Oct. 3 melee at Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park, in which President Trump and Black Lives Matter supporters clashed, some engaging in violence and one pulling a gun.
Hummel said Wednesday he will make the announcement at a news conference set for 10 a.m. at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond.
The news conference is not a public event, due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, Hummel said, but the announcement will be livestreamed on the DA’s office Facebook page.
After investigating the high-profile incident, Bend police announced publicly (an unusual step) on Oct. 20 their recommendations to Hummel that riot, assault and other charges be filed against 15 people stemming from the Pilot Butte incident, and that seven people (some the same) be charged for blocking Highway 20 traffic during a protest at police headquarters the following day.
NewsChannel 21's Alec Nolan plans to attend the news conference, and we also plan to livestream the event.
