On Sunday, September 24, a protest in Victorville, California turned violent as civilians and law enforcement officers found themselves in a tense and chaotic confrontation. The protest, which was in reaction to an incident that took place on Friday, September 22, began peacefully on Amargosa Road near the Victorville Police Department's station. However, tensions escalated when a deputy arrived at the west entrance of the Victorville station at around 11:38 a.m., leading to a rapid deterioration of the situation, according to the official police report.
Deputies noted a group of protestors unlawfully assembled and attempted to access the deputy's vehicle. Though loudspeaker announcements ordered the crowd to disperse, their warnings went unheeded. Resistance from the protestors led to the arrival of additional officers, and only then did the demonstrators eventually leave the area.
But the unrest did not end there. Later that day, at around 12:33 p.m. near the intersection of Palmdale Road and McArt Road, a group of individuals assaulted and pepper-sprayed an uninvolved citizen at a nearby business. As law enforcement officers attempted to come to the aid of the victim, protestors interfered, obstructing and delaying their efforts. One of the individuals went to the lengths of assaulting a deputy who was in the process of carrying out an arrest.
In total, four suspects were arrested in connection with the protest's escalation. David Chavez, 27, a Riverside resident, and Wendy Lujan, 40, a Pomona resident, were charged with assault with a caustic chemical and unlawful assembly. Lujan faced additional charges for obstructing a peace officer and battery. Victor Alba, 30, a Victorville resident, was charged with obstructing a peace officer, battery, and unlawful assembly. Lastly, Wayne Freeman, 36, a Moreno Valley resident, was arrested for obstructing a peace officer and unlawful assembly. All arrestees were subsequently booked into the High Desert Detention Center, as reported on the Nixle website.
Officials continue to investigate the events surrounding the protest and ask anyone with information to contact the Victorville Police Department at (760) 241-2911 or the Sheriff's Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Additionally, those wishing to remain anonymous have the option to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or submit information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
