PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said that while there is plenty of blame to go around, no juveniles or Quakertown police — including the chief — will be charged in the violence that erupted at an anti-ICE student protest back in February.
The 20-page report highlights how the Feb. 20 rally spiraled out of control — using the term “fog of war” multiple times. It notes how Quakertown Community High School students were unwilling to listen to simple police requests to stay out of the streets, along with what it calls “calamitous” decisions by law enforcement, including Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree, who’s shown in video with his arm around a juvenile’s neck.
The district attorney’s report states that McElree will not be charged. An independent use-of-force expert found he did not violate state law or Quakertown police policy.
The report does, however, recommend changes to Quakertown’s policy.
And, it says McElree’s decision to charge into the crowd despite not wearing anything identifying him as an officer, rather than waiting for uniformed officers, was “poorly planned” and a “fateful decision” that’s led to confusion and trauma for an entire community.
The report says statements from lawyers in support of the juveniles calling it “a rear naked choke,” or claiming McElree was a counter-protester, are not substantiated by the investigation.
It said the same about the Bucks County Police Chiefs Association, stating he was protecting the student’s head while falling, and that those actions were professional.
It also says the DA’s Office has denied a request by Quakertown police to charge additional juveniles, and dropped the most serious charges against five who were detained.
Advocates for the five high schoolers said they are outraged by the DA’s report, arguing McElree is not being held accountable.
The students were arrested and held in detention; felony charges were eventually dropped. But Upper Bucks United parent Zach Koehler said it’s more punishment than McElree faced.
“Those kids got dragged through the legal system, while this guy got to have a paid vacation,” he said.
McElree was briefly on leave after the incident but has continued to serve both as police chief and borough manager.
Fellow parent Bill Hahn with Upper Bucks United said McElree’s behavior makes him unfit for his role.
“Even if they don’t have enough evidence to press charges, there’s absolutely enough evidence for him to be fired for recklessness,” he argued.
“You have to take small victories where it is, and this is a victory,” said attorney Tim Prendergast, who represented one of the five students. “Chief McElree was found to be wrong. It was his ‘calamitous’ decision that led to everything that happened here.”
The most serious charges against 5 detained students were dropped
The most serious charges against 5 detained students were dropped
