Tom GantertNashville, TN – A Tennessee State Police Trooper was fired and arrested for assault after allegedly taking a mask off of a heckler.
Trooper Harvey Briggs, 52, was placed on leave and then fired from his job in August, according to WKRN.
Briggs, 52, was booked into Davidson County Sheriff’s Office for assault on Sept. 3, according to the Charlotte Observer.
The arrest warrant says he ripped the face mask off of a protester who was demonstrating near the state capitol building on Aug. 10.
The arrest warrant stated that Trooper Briggs threw the mask and touched the protester’s face, according to WKRN.
Andrew Golden, the protester, gave the video footage to WKRN.
The video was recorded by Golden who was taking video of a woman’s traffic stop near the Capitol.
In the video, Trooper Briggs warned Golden not to interfere with the traffic stop, according to The Tennessean.
Golden was on the sidewalk about 15 feet away from the state troopers, according to The Tennessean.
Trooper Briggs wasn’t involved in the traffic stop and then crossed the parking lot and scolded Golden for using profanities.
Trooper Briggs threatened to arrest Golden if he impeded with the traffic stop.
The video doesn’t actually show Briggs taking the mask off of Golden.
In the video, the mask could suddenly be seen on the ground as Golden accursed Briggs of ripping the mask off of his face.
Briggs denied doing it.
Trooper Briggs, who served on the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 22 years, was sent a termination notice on Aug. 14 for “unprofessional conduct,” according to WKRN. Trooper Briggs has appealed his firing but no decision has been made.
The Tennessean reported that there was an internal investigation done by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and it was found that Trooper Briggs violated a department policy.
You can see the video of the incident below:
Holly Matkin
