NOTE: The Dallas Police Association will hold a live press conference at 2:00 pm to address this issue. Watch live here at KRLD.com (video via NBCDFW.com)
The Dallas Police Association is defending two of its own.
The DPA said the charges against Sr. Cpl. Ryan Mabry and former Sr. Cpl. Melvin Williams for their involvement in the Black Lives Matter marches in the summer of 2020 are unjust and politically motivated.
"It's unheard of," Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said. "I think everybody should question the timing of this. We're what, four days away from early voting in the primary? It's been almost two years since this incident occurred but now we're reaching the point of charging offers."
Mata said the officers did nothing wrong. He said they were defending themselves and peaceful protesters from violent rioters.
"There were hundreds and hundreds of people inside these protests that were there to destroy," Mata said. "They were there to create chaos. They were there to assault people. They were there to create mayhem. And our officers had to address that."
However, several people hurt in the protests said they would be impacted by their injuries for life, including one man who lost an eye to a rubber bullet. As far as timing goes, the DA's office said it's been working for more than a year to identify the officers.
Both Mabry and Williams are being charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and official oppression, among other things. Mata said it's preposterous.
"We're going to vigorously support and defend these two officers," Mata said. "We are 100% confident that if it gets to trial that they will come out cleared of these charges."
Mabry has been with the department for 12 years. Williams was fired last month for violating the department's use of force policy when he was seen on video punching a man outside a bar in Deep Ellum.
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