An expert on the use of force by police said Saturday’s incident met the justifications to deploy pepper spray to break up the fight.
In Columbus, Ohio, the Ohio State University Police Department disclosed that law enforcement officers from different agencies resorted to using pepper spray to disperse a scuffle that erupted between Ohio State and University of Michigan football players following Ohio State’s unexpected defeat over the weekend.
The fight lasted for several minutes.
Various officers from a range of agencies, such as Ohio State police, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies, University of Michigan police, and private security personnel, were present on the field during the incident.
A representative from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that footage showed one of their deputies potentially using pepper spray to intervene in the altercation.
“This incident is being reviewed as part of our standard protocol whenever mace or pepper spray is used. It is important to note that such tools are often used in crowd control situations to help safely disperse individuals and maintain order,” the spokesperson said.
It is unclear if other officers from other agencies deployed pepper spray.
Robert Meader, a retired commander with the Columbus Division of Police, trains officers on the use of force.
Meader said Saturday’s incident met the justifications for using pepper spray. He added pepper spray is a common method used to make a large crowd disperse and stop physical violence.
“What is the severity of the crime? In this case, there are assaults that are ongoing. What was the apparent threat posed by the suspect? In this situation, the suspects were continuing to fight. And the third prong the U.S. Supreme Court carved out was the suspect attempting to flee or resist? In this case, they were resisting,” Meader explained.
Meader said it is possible those engaged in the fight could face legal repercussions.
“We have to understand the athletic competition was over, so the rules of the game are done. There is not an ejection or any sort of penalty, and so I do believe that will be something the law enforcement agencies and prosecutor’s offices will take a moment to review and to determine if there will be any criminal charges that may be applicable especially since an officer was injured,” he said.
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9 President Brian Steel said an Ohio State police officer was taken to the hospital after the brawl and released Sunday morning. The officer was trampled during the brawl and suffered a head injury, according to Steel.
“I talked to him. He is in good spirits, but he had a head injury. He was doing his duty, trying to protect both players [and] the coaches and he got knocked down and he got trampled on,” he said.
According to a spokesperson for Ohio State, no arrests have been made from the incident. The university did not comment on whether any athletes could face penalties.
The Big Ten Conference issued $100,000 fines to Ohio State and Michigan, stating that the brawl violated the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy.
