2 Buffalo Police Officers Charged With Assault After Pushing 75-Year-Old

Author: CBS Local
Published:
Photo via CBS News

Two Buffalo police officers have been charged with assault after video showed them pushing a protester to the ground.

Video taken Thursday shows police pushing 75-year-old Martin Gugino, who then falls and hits the back of his head on the pavement, causing him to bleed.

Gugino is now in serious condition.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says there was no need to use force.

“You see that video and it disturbs your basic sense of decency and humanity. Why? Why? Why was that necessary? Where was the threat?” Cuomo said.

Two officers were initially suspended. Now they’ve been charged.

Dozens of Buffalo police officers have stepped down from a special unit to protest the suspension of two fellow officers after an incident involving a protester.

After the suspension, 57 members of Buffalo’s Emergency Response Team quit the unit Friday, but didn’t resign from the department.

The police union says the suspended officers were just following orders.

Police initially claimed the man tripped.

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