New York

75-Year-Old Protester Shoved to Ground by Police in Buffalo Files Lawsuit

Martin Gugino, 75, suffered a fractured skull after being shoved during a protest on June 4. A grand jury declined to charge the two officers

A 75-year-old man who was seen being shoved to the ground by Buffalo police and bleeding on the ground during a protest last year is suing the officers and other officials, according to court documents.

Martin Gugino suffered a fractured skull in the June 4 encounter, which was captured on video, NBC News reports.

The suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York seeks economic damages as well as punitive damages "in an amount sufficient to punish them and deter others from similar conduct."

A prosecutor filed charges against two Buffalo police officers, Robert McCabe and Aaron Torgalski, but a grand jury earlier this month declined charges, and the case was dismissed.

The entire Emergency Response Team in Buffalo, N.Y., resigned in protest after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo condemned Buffalo police for pushing and injuring an elderly protester, saying, “It's just fundamentally offensive and frightening.” The protester, 75-year-old Martin Gugino, was taken to the hospital on Thursday evening after sustaining a head wound and possible concussion.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

Contact Us