WASHINGTON — All charges have been dropped against a 43-year-old man initially charged with assaulting firefighters after videos showed DC Fire & EMS employees engaged in a brawl with the man. WUSA9 will not be naming the man now that charges have been dropped.
Six DC Fire & EMS employees are on administrative leave pending the results of a joint investigation by DC Police and DC Fire, according to DC Fire & EMS spokesperson Vito Maggiolo.
Witnesses say the man had climbed under a Metrobus, grabbed a wheel and refused to let go. Firefighters were dispatched to try and rescue the man.
A WUSA9 photographer was also at the scene Tuesday night near the intersection of Florida Avenue Northwest and North Capitol Street Northwest, and witnessed the fight. He says the man under the bus was belligerent and combative with several firefighters and then punched one of the firefighters in the face. That's when the brawl broke out, and the photographer began shooting video.
A video on social media starts just seconds earlier, and captures firefighters throwing punches, and one of them kicking the man in the head.
"The actions depicted in a video of the incident are completely unacceptable and do not reflect the behavior we require of our members," Maggiolo said in a statement Wednesday.
In the WUSA9 video, you see an MPD officer tossing one of the firefighters out of the pile. After clearing the first responders out of the way, officers with tasers spent about three minutes trying to convince the shirtless man to get on the ground. Police eventually put him in handcuffs, and struggle with him for about two more minutes to bring him into custody.
"The [WUSA9] cameraman’s observation of this incident really supports our members," DC Firefighter’s Association President David Hoagland said. "Local 36 is disappointed that the charges were dropped but we remain steadfast in our commitment to helping others in need."
A spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney's Office gave no reason for declining to prosecute the unhoused man.