Staff Report
Two men were arrested during a protest in Murray on Tuesday night.
John Dickerson, 55 of Paducah, Kentucky, pointed a gun at protesters around 5:45 p.m. on 12th Street during the protest, according to a press release from the Murray Police Department. He was located by officers and booked in the Calloway County Jail on a $2,500 bond. He is charged with first degree wanton endangerment.
Protesters continued walking down North 12th Street with vehicles traveling southbound stopped. As protesters were next to 53-year-old David Fryemire’s car, he rolled down his window and pepper sprayed multiple protesters.
In an effort to keep the protesters safe, officers in patrol vehicles stayed in front of and behind the group to prevent vehicles from getting into the group of protesters. With officers already on the scene, five of them were sprayed with pepper spray as well. Police say Fryemire, a Murray resident, tried to drive through the crowd of protesters but was stopped by officers.
He was arrested, charged with two counts of first degree wanton endangerment, three counts of fourth degree assault and five counts of third degree assault. He was arrested on a $15,000 bond and taken to the Calloway County Jail.
Karmen Hatfield was at the protest and witnessed the two incidents but was not directly hit with pepper spray.
“Afterward we were all trying to help those that were hit the worst with it and the Cook Out workers brought out milk and water for us to use,” Hatfield said. “At least two cops that I saw had also gotten maced. And I’m not sure who it was but a young woman probably around my age was hit directly and was having breathing problems to the point she had to leave in an ambulance.”
Hatfield said the protest was started by individuals in the community and no specific organization was involved.
The protesters continued down Main Street to the court square where a man spoke for over an hour while protesters held signs that said Black Lives Matter and Stop Killing Us among others. There was a heavy police presence downtown but the protest continued peacefully until it ended at 9 p.m.
“The Constitution allows everyone the right to peacefully protest,” according to the press release. “The Murray Police Department’s goal is to provide safety and protection to everyone.”