A Pittsburgh man is facing a myriad of charges after he bit a police officer outside Tequila Cowboy, a bar located in Pittsburgh's North Shore. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Almir Lopes De Barros from the Brighton Heights neighborhood, was described by an employee as “highly intoxicated and disorderly” before the altercation took place.
According to details in a criminal complaint reported by WTAE, an off-duty officer, informed of the situation, and security personnel confronted Barros, who was speaking English at the time. Despite being repeatedly asked to leave the premises, Barros refused. The events unfolded shortly before 1:30 a.m. yesterday.
After being escorted outside the bar, Barros switched to speaking Spanish, compelling the bar manager to step out for translation. It was confirmed through a translator that Barros understood what was being communicated, yet he persisted in his refusal to vacate the property. As police attempted to take him into custody, Barros resisted, and a physical altercation ensued.
The situation escalated when Barros began biting an officer in the leg, causing injury to his left calf and small lacerations, as noted in the criminal complaint cited by TribLIVE. In addition to the bite, the officer sustained scrapes on his forehead and reported pain in his knee and wrist. The complaint detailed a physical scuffle in which they detained Barros by holding him on the ground until backup arrived.
Barros has been charged with aggravated assault of a police officer, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness. As for Barros, he received scrapes on his forehead during the incident and was taken to the Allegheny County Jail without further incident. A preliminary hearing date has yet to be scheduled for Barros.
