Kearney teen arrested for assaulting police officer at Buffalo County Fair

KEARNEY, Neb. (KSNB) – A 19-year-old Kearney man is arrested for assaulting a police officer at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.

On Thursday, July 25, two off-duty KPD officers were working security at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds when they saw a fight break out around 10:45 p.m. One man was punching and another man was bleeding above his eye. Security officers and KPD officers were able to arrest the punching man and handcuff him.

Officers asked the suspect to sit down, but he refused and continued to resist arrest and walk away from officers.

Kulture police managed to pin the man to the ground, where he spat saliva in the face of one of the officers. The officers held his head down to prevent him from spitting again.

The man was identified as Isaac Whiteface, 19, of Kearney. Whiteface was placed under arrest and charged with assault on a police officer with bodily fluid, third-degree assault, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and disorderly conduct.

As with all use of force incidents by members of the Kearney Police Department and in accordance with Kearney Police Department policy, this incident was accurately documented and reported by the officers involved. The officers involved are an 11-year veteran and a 2 1/2-year veteran. The report is routed through multiple levels of management and review beginning with the immediate supervisor. After the initial review, the report is routed to the Supervisory Commander, the Office of Professional Standards, the Division Commander and the Chief of Police.

On Saturday, Kearney police were notified of a cellphone video circulating on social media in connection with the case.

KPD Chief Bryan D. Waugh released a statement on the incident:

“We reviewed the video and noted that it was filmed from an angle behind the involved officers. We also reviewed body camera video from the two involved KPD officers.”

“Since the release of the cell phone video, there have been inaccurate and completely false comments posted on social media platforms regarding this arrest and the lawful response to the resistance of a Kearney Police Officer. At no time was a chokehold applied, at no time was the level of force greater than necessary to achieve a lawful objective, at no time did the officer strike the subject. With an open hand, the officer directed the subject’s face and mouth to the ground to prevent and defend himself from further spitting. The involved officers acted in a manner consistent with department training, policy, and procedure, while deploying the minimum amount of force necessary to respond to the resistance and active spitting. I am grateful that the involved officers and the subject were not more seriously injured and appreciate the concern of our community.”

Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your inbox.

Copyright 2024 KSNB. All rights reserved.