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Columbus police officers take a protestor into Columbus Police headquarters during a protest against police killings of Black people on April 13. Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor

What started off as a peaceful protest in downtown Columbus Tuesday night resulted in an Ohio State student being arrested and charged with a felony after entering Columbus Police headquarters and allegedly assaulting a police officer.

Hunter Mattin, a second-year in public policy analysis, was charged with aggravated burglary Wednesday, according to court documents. Deputy Chief Greg Bodker identified the injured officer as Lt. Justin Coleman at a Tuesday press conference. 

Coleman’s body camera footage, presented at the press conference, shows Mattin hitting Coleman with a club after being told to get out of the building.

The arrest came near the end of a demonstration Tuesday evening in protest of recent police shooting deaths of Black people across the U.S., including the killing of Daunte Wright Sunday near Minneapolis. Some protesters entered Columbus Police headquarters, which was locked by handcuffs, at about 9:20 p.m.

Police inside the building used pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

Aggravated burglary is a first-degree felony that can carry a penalty up to 10 years or a $20,000 fine.

Sgt. James Fuqua, Columbus Police public information officer, said Columbus Police is reviewing more footage from Tuesday and may charge other protesters. The officer was taken to a hospital Tuesday night for mouth injuries. His current condition has not been disclosed.

Mattin is at Franklin County Corrections Center II, according to his booking information. His arraignment is Thursday at 9 a.m.

Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson said the university has no comment on the incident at this time.

This story is developing and will be updated with more information.

The demonstration began at 6:30 p.m. at Mayme Moore Park, where about 30 people held a vigil before relocating outside of Columbus Police headquarters, on Marconi Boulevard near West Broad Street, and marching around the area of the Ohio Statehouse.

Malea Hill, co-founder of Black social justice group Downtownerz and acquaintance of Wright, told the crowd at Columbus Police headquarters she was tired of still needing to protest. She said it’s traumatizing for people who have experienced police violence to see it happen to other people without change.

“There’s too many names, and they all have the same story,” Hill said. “And it’s the story that’s untold that is most often the truth.”

Wright, 20, was shot and killed by police officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop Sunday in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, about 10 miles from where former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the May 2020 killing of George Floyd. Potter was one of multiple officers at the scene and stated she thought she was using her Taser when she fatally shot Wright according to a Monday press conference.

Potter resigned in a letter to Brooklyn Center public officials Tuesday. Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tom Gannon resigned at a press conference that afternoon.

The Columbus community has experienced police shooting deaths in the past year as well. Andre Hill, 47, died after he was shot multiple times by former Columbus Police officer Adam Coy Dec. 22, 2020. Less than three weeks earlier, 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. was killed after being shot multiple times outside of his northeast Columbus home by Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Meade.

Ohio State students joined the demonstration, too. Braven Dulaney, a first-year in environmental science, said he felt compelled to go out and protest to “follow up” with his verbal advocacy — even though, as a person of color, he was afraid.

“I know that I need to put myself in situations like that so that other people don’t have to be afraid,” Delaney said.

Julia Paxton, a fourth-year in social work, said she has been protesting since the death of George Floyd in May 2020. She said Ohio State students, especially non-Black students, should fight against racism and hold each other accountable.

“It’s not as simple as signing an anti-bias statement or doing a short anti-bias class,” Paxton said. “It’s looking at how white supremacy upholds the whole system.”

This story was updated at 8:17 p.m. with the name of the injured officer, Lt. Justin Coleman.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the officer Mattin struck with a club. The story has been edited with his correct name.