Kenosha Man Indicted For Hitting Police Officer in the Head With a ‘Heavy Object’ During Kenosha Riots

During the Kenosha riots over the summer, a viral video showed an officer getting hit in the head with what appeared to be a brick and falling limp to the ground.

Footage of officer getting knocked out with a brick in Kenosha. pic.twitter.com/zZYypCgyja

— 👾 🦝 Botchlaa 🏴🚩 (@ComradeBotchlaa) August 24, 2020

Late last month, in a release that was not widely publicized at the time, United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Ashton L. Howard of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

According to the release, evidence indicated that on August 23, 2020, a Kenosha Police Department officer was helping to remove a damaged police vehicle when Howard threw a heavy object at the officer’s head, knocking him unconscious.

Howard was charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder and that he subsequently possessed ammunition, despite a prior felony conviction.

United States Attorney Krueger said of the indictment, “There must be accountability for anyone who attacks a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. I commend the painstaking investigative efforts of the FBI and Kenosha Police Department to bring this case.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Hughes said in the indictment that “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to aggressively investigate and hold those responsible who obstruct law enforcement during civil disorder.”

“We will continue to support our partners with appropriate resources to maintain a safe community,” Hughes added.

Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis made it clear that “This was not a case of legal protest; instead, it was a felonious assault on a police officer. This type of conduct cannot and will not be accepted.”

It was also reported at the time that five people from Illinois are being sought on warrants for looting a jewelry and pawn shop the riots as well.

A Wisconsin man, Joshua Ziminski was charged with arson of property other than a building — a felony — for allegedly setting a dumpster on fire and pushing it into the road and into the path of police vehicles.

Ziminski was charged in October with disorderly conduct-use of a dangerous weapon for allegedly firing a gun into the air the same night, that shot happening moments before and in the same area as the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings.