ROWLAND, N.C. — A North Carolina police officer suffered a broken nose and facial lacerations after he tried to arrest a man in response to a domestic call, authorities said.
Rowland officer Michael Sale responded to a domestic call around midnight Friday, news outlets reported.
Rowland Police Chief Hubert Graham said when Sale arrived at the home, there was a confrontation between him and a man that started inside the house before it moved outside. The man fought back, hitting Sale in the face. Graham said Sale was taken to the hospital for treatment and released.
According to the chief, the fight lasted 10 minutes before another officer arrived and used pepper spray on the man and then arrested him.
Police charged Jamel Alphonso Rogers, 26, with assault on a government official and resisting a public official, Graham said. He is being held in the Robeson County jai under a $500,000 bond, and the public defender’s office couldn’t confirm on Tuesday whether or not Rogers had an attorney.
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ROBESON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE STATEMENT:
"Robeson County residents, I don’t want you to hear about the assault on the Rowland Police Officer that occurred early this morning, I want you see it. This is the harsh reality that law enforcement in America is facing right now where some think it’s okay to Defund the Police, Assault the Police and actually laugh and video the event while it’s occurring while at the same time encouraging the suspect to continue to fight the officer even after the officer has lost his weapon and is obviously disabled.
There is a video we have saved but I won’t publish it as I am sure many of you have seen it. I also won’t discuss anything here as it relates to tactics or what should have or should not have occurred nor will I debate cases across the country that some seem to compare this with and say the officer deserved this.
What I will say, is that this is a total disregard for authority and this could have turned out to be a much more tragic situation. To echo the comment made by Rowland Police Chief Hubert Graham, this isn’t new to law enforcement. This may be new to you seeing it first hand with your own eyes in our own county.
A community won’t feel safe with their own law enforcement officers being attacked such as this. In saying this, we will not stand by and allow the criminal element regardless of your race, creed, nationality and so on to wreak havoc in our county. We try so hard to bring our county’s reputation out of the gutter and a few people such as seen here can turn it upside down. Law Enforcement is here to protect and serve. We aren’t the enemy. But we will be seeking out the enemy in the days ahead.
Lastly, I thank those of you that support law and justice in our county and ask that you please say a prayer for complete healing of Officer Michael Sales and for our county. God Bless."
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Cox Media Group
